Why are more adults wearing orthodontics today?

Orthodontics used to be used only on children or adolescents. However, it is now used for adults as well. Many adult patients with dental problems dream of a perfect smile. In fact, more and more people are aware of oral health, facial aesthetics and their smile as their main calling card and are looking for a definitive solution that is efficient, durable and stable in the long term. That is why we increasingly offer orthodontic treatments in Barcelona and its different forms of invisible orthodontics, including clear aligners, porcelain brackets or brackets cemented on the inside of the teeth (lingual orthodontics).

However, there are some complications that adults have to deal with and not children. Years of dental work, crowns, root canals, cavities, periodontal disease or missing teeth make orthodontics more laborious in adults. Added to this is the fact that adults no longer have bone growth, which is often necessary, so the solution is orthognathic surgery to correct malocclusion.

Although there is no scientific evidence to prove that orthodontics makes teeth longer-lasting and healthier, it has been shown in a recent study carried out at the University of Washington by Dr. Nart that the teeth and supporting bone do not get worse after having worn orthodontics and that hygiene and periodontal health improves. Patients who have had braces are more aware of oral health and dental esthetics.

What should an adult who wants to wear braces know?

Adults, as mentioned above, have different oral conditions and situations than children and young people. Hence, a number of recommendations should be made:
– Orthodontic treatment can be more complex in adults (condition of teeth, dental crowns, periodontal disease, etc.).
– Orthodontics is not able to solve all dental problems because the maxillary and facial bones no longer grow. This may require orthognathic surgery.
– Optimal periodontal health is essential before orthodontic treatment can begin.
– Treatment of adult patients may be delayed if interdisciplinary treatment is required, in addition to the fact that the force that the orthodontist applies to the adult’s mouth is less because the adult is more sensitive to pain.
– Alternatives with good results: invisible aligners and brackets on the inside of the teeth (lingual orthodontics).
– Orthodontic treatment in adults is usually longer than in children (between 24 and 30 months), while in children it is between 18 and 22 months.

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Importance of correcting the maxillary and mandibular bones with orthodontics

There is a clear difference between treating adults and children: the maxillary and mandibular bones of children grow during orthodontics but not in adults. Thus, in children, orthodontists can modify growth to favor the position of the bone: if the child’s teeth are protruding, maxillary growth can be slowed down while the jaw continues to grow and, consequently, esthetic harmony will follow.

In adults, however, the facial structure is fixed. To correct crossbite (upper teeth bite into the lower teeth) a surgical intervention is required to modify the shape and size of the jaw so that they fit together. Another alternative currently used in the adult orthodontic patient are titanium micro-screws in the bone as an anchor to be able to move the teeth in the correct direction, avoiding those adverse movements.

It is important that the adult patient who wants to undergo orthodontics does not have signs of inflammation or bleeding gums, as well as periodontal disease or signs that show that they have thin bone or gum that would not resist dental movement before starting orthodontics. In such cases, the area should be covered to prevent damage to the bone or gum.

In order to undergo other treatments, such as esthetic restorations or implants, many adult patients will require prior orthodontic treatment. There is no age limit for orthodontics, as long as the gum and bone supporting the tooth is healthy.

Possible tooth movement after removal of braces

Approximately one third of adults who decide to wear braces wore them when they were young. However, their teeth have moved due to the absence of retainers. Teeth always move. Only 10% of patients who have had braces keep their teeth aligned 20 years after treatment. Retainers are recommended for life, one fixed to the inside of the teeth and one removable at night.