Blogs

Are you ready to smile a whole lot more than ever before?

There are a lot more teeth straightening options today than ever before and luckily for you, orthodontic advancements allow people of any age to correct the gaps in their teeth, crooked teeth and a lot more.Straightening your teeth in adulthood is easier as you have a lot more options due to more maturity and ability to care for their teeth.

Here are some teeth straightening options for adults:

1. Invisalign
   Invisalign are a clear set of braces which cost more than other types of braces as they are very discreet, invisible as the name suggests. They are a series of clear, removable orthodontic aligners that are designed to straighten your teeth without the use of any wires or metal. Each aligner is custom designed for your tooth and slowly moves them into their correct places, after which it is switched out every two weeks. Invisalign usually takes a little longer than braces to give noticeable results but the advantage is that they can be taken out when eating.

2. Lingual Braces
   Lingual braces are almost the same as traditional braces but are set behind the teeth which makes them very discreet as no one can really notice them back there. Lingual braces are a bit more expensive and also make it harder to keep your teeth clean as well as speaking as the braces are right up against your tongue.

3. Damon Braces
   These braces designed with a bracket and wire system, making them very similar to both traditional and ceramic orthodontic ones. The main difference between the two is that they tend to use a slide mechanism with doors or clips that hold the archwires of the braces in place instead of rubber bands. Clips and doors are easier to clean as well as being less painful as they trap less food. These types of braces require less maintenance and upkeep as compared to other types of braces as well as having a shorter treatment period. These braces are available in both metal and ceramic but may not be suitable for everyone.

4. Ceramic Braces
   Another alternative to invisible braces are clear ceramic or tooth-colored braces which seem to be more like retainers. Ceramic braces are very discreet and most people won’t be able to notice them, even from a few feet away. The archwire remains silver but the rest of the brackets and ligatures are either clear or tooth colored to make them discreet. The ligatures can become stained due to eating foods like black coffee but they’re switched out regularly so it does not affect much.

5. Metal Braces
   These are the most traditional orthodontic braces which are made up of two basic high-grade stainless steel parts. Both these metal pieces which are the metal bracket against the tooth and the second is the metal wire that is threaded through the brackets to maintain a constant pressure on your teeth, pushing them in the right direction. This constant pressure on the improperly aligned teeth helps to move them back into their intended place gradually. Metal braces usually take the least amount of time to realign your teeth properly.

Associating braces with youngsters is a false stereotype as there is no age limit for any kind of corrective treatment. You can use braces to properly align your teeth as long as you keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong. The American Association of Orthodontics states that an increasing amount of people in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s have started using braces. The best way to find out what type of braces best suit your health and personal needs is to schedule an appointment with your orthodontist.

Author Bio:
Dr. Satish Pai – an Ivy League trained dentist and a faculty at Columbia University, believes that a perfect smile not only makes a person look great but feel great while boosting confidence. As the founder of Putnam Orthodontics, he is dedicated to not only creating perfect smiles for his patients but also educating people with his engaging articles about all things related to a perfect smile and oral health. Spending time with his family always brings a smile on his face. In his free time, you can find him golfing, doing yoga or surfing.