Braces aren’t just for children anymore. An estimated one in four orthodontic patients today are getting braces for adults. Many individuals opt for braces as adults because their parents couldn’t afford the treatment when they were children and mis-aligned and crooked teeth are now interfering with their talking, chewing and general appearance. Yet other adults may have had some orthodontic work done, but were never satisfied with the results, so they investigate how braces for adults can help adjust their dental alignment.

There is no age limit for getting braces as adults, but it’s a good idea to get at least two different consultations from orthodontic treatment centers to get a realistic picture of just how braces can help your teeth and your smile.

Orthodontic work can help prevent the eventual tooth loss and gum inflammation that often accompanies having crooked or misshapen teeth. Braces for adults can also help a patient digest their foods more thoroughly because chewing food properly no longer is a struggle.

Getting braces as an adult is a slower procedure than that done on children because the adult mouth takes a bit longer to heal between appointments in which the teeth are being moved by gradually adjusting the brace tension.

Some things to talk about with an orthodontist when considering braces as an adult include whether or not jaw surgery and tooth extraction will be necessary, and if the dentist recommends ceramic braces or invisible braces rather than the traditional metal braces.

A certain amount of tenderness and pain can be expected during the first 5 to 7 days after the braces are put on. After each appointment in which the braces are tightened in order to move the teeth, there will also be some degree of discomfort which can easily be managed by over-the-counter pain medication.

It isn’t necessary to get braces from an orthodontist who specializes in adults, but the orthodontist selected for the procedure should be a board-certified professional because this is a relationship that may last up to two years before treatments deliver the final result of straightened teeth and healthy gums resulting in a beautiful new smile.