You’re never too old to get braces! In fact, 4 million Americans are already receiving treatment. About 25% of these patients are adults. If you’re on the fence about adult braces, consider talking to your Cleveland orthodontist. They can complete an evaluation to determine your treatment options.
Otherwise, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about getting braces in Cleveland, Ohio. After reading this guide, you can feel more informed before your consultation appointment. Then, you can discuss your treatment options with your orthodontist in Cleveland.
They can help you make an informed decision with your oral health in mind.
Keep reading to learn more about braces for adults today!
Types of Braces
First, it helps to consider your treatment options. When most people hear braces, they think of metal wires and brackets. That’s only one of the options available to you, though.
For most adults, aesthetics is a key concern. Here are a few different types of braces your orthodontist in Middleburg can offer.
Conventional Braces
Conventional braces are designed to hold wires with a single bracket cemented to the front of a tooth. You’ll need a few bands in the back to anchor the wires.
You can also talk to your Cleveland orthodontist about switching metal brackets and wires for clear ones instead. There are even tooth-colored ceramic options available.
Choosing conventional braces could shorten your treatment time. However, these options are usually the most noticeable. If you’re concerned about people noticing your orthodontics, consider another treatment option.
Otherwise, treat your braces as an accessory! Choose different colored brackets that suit your mood or personality.
Invisalign Aligners
If you’re looking for more discretion, consider Invisalign treatment.
With Invisalign, you’ll wear clear, plastic trays over your teeth. You’ll switch the trays out every few weeks to accommodate the movement of your teeth. However, you’ll need to wear the trays for about 22 hours every day.
You’ll remove your aligners each time you need to eat, brush, and floss. It’s important to brush after each meal. Otherwise, you could leave food particles trapped between your teeth and aligners.
While aligners aren’t completely invisible, they are less conspicuous than other treatment options. You won’t have to worry about metal wires when you brush or floss.
It’s important to remain disciplined if you plan on Invisalign treatment. You’ll need to make sure you’re wearing your aligners. Otherwise, you might experience a delay in treatment.
Self-Ligating Braces
Self-ligating braces don’t require elastic bands to help move your teeth into place. Instead, they involve a wire that passes through a small metal clip on the bracket.
You can schedule a consultation appointment with your Cleveland orthodontist to determine which option suits your needs. With their help, you can customize your treatment plan based on your needs and goals.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are similar to conventional metal braces. However, the brackets are cemented to the back of your teeth instead. This treatment option is more discreet as a result.
Since the brackets are behind your teeth, the braces are virtually invisible. Treatment will work just as quickly as it would with conventional braces, too.
However, lingual braces are custom-made. They usually cost more than other Cleveland orthodontics options.
The Benefits
If you’re still on the fence about starting orthodontic treatment, take the time to review the pros and cons. Here are a few benefits you can experience after receiving your braces in Cleveland, Ohio.
1. Improve Your Overall Oral Health
Straightening your teeth with orthodontics could benefit your oral health as a whole.
If there are gaps between your teeth, it’s easier for food particles to hide away. Food particles can mix with bacteria in your saliva. Plaque can form as a result.
Plaque is a sticky substance you can remove by brushing your teeth. When left unattended, however, plaque can form into tartar. You’ll need to visit your dentist to remove tartar from your teeth.
It’s sometimes difficult to brush and floss when your teeth are crooked, though. You can fix alignment issues and close gaps with braces. Then, you can avoid future oral health issues (like gingivitis and bruxism) down the road.
2. Chew and Digest Properly
If you have crooked teeth or a misaligned bite, you might struggle to chew certain foods. You could remove certain foods from your diet as a result. Unfortunately, you could experience malnutrition if you’re not eating a balanced diet.
Failing to chew properly can also cause digestive issues.
Instead, you can fix your alignment issues by visiting your orthodontist in Middleburg. Once your teeth are straight, you can chew and digest properly again.
3. Avoid Gingivitis
About 65 million adults in America have gum disease. Gum disease can cause:
- Red, swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Pus between your gums and teeth
- Bad breath
- A change in alignment
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Loose teeth
You might even lose your teeth if your gum disease progresses. Your risk of gum disease could increase if you have large gaps between your teeth.
You can close those gaps by visiting your Cleveland orthodontist for treatment.
4. Save Money
Starting orthodontic treatment could save you money in the long run.
If you develop gingivitis and it progresses into periodontitis, your risk of diabetes, stroke, lung disease, and heart disease will increase. You might require expensive treatment.
Starting orthodontic treatment now can help you avoid future health issues.
5. Boost Your Confidence
One of the biggest reasons adults start orthodontic treatment is to boost their self-confidence.
Gaps between your teeth can make you feel self-conscious about your smile. If you recently started hiding your smile, consider orthodontic treatment. With Cleveland orthodontics, you can fix gaps or alignment issues.
Once your treatment is complete, you can start grinning and showing off your stunning, straight smile.
Brace Yourself: Consider Adult Braces From Your Cleveland Orthodontist
Don’t hide your smile anymore! Instead, consider adult braces from your Cleveland orthodontist. Starting treatment today could improve your life for years to come.
Interested in exploring your treatment options? We’re here to help.
Contact us and schedule your free consultation appointment today to get started.