It is no longer the case that orthodontic treatment is mainly for teenagers. According to the Canadian Association of Orthodontists, 1 in 5 orthodontic patients is over the age of 21. There are an increasing number of adults who are choosing to undergo treatment since they understand the importance of maintaining their vital health and wish to attain the best smile possible.
COMMON REASONS WHY ADULTS ARE CONSIDERING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
There are many reasons that adults consider orthodontic treatment including: a desire for a more confident smile and healthier mouth; the pressure or abnormal jaw pain caused by crooked teeth; a malocclusion or bad bite which causes teeth to incorrectly fit together; teeth are overly spaced apart or crowded, causing gum disease or tooth decay.
When treating children or adults, the main difference to take into consideration is that with the younger patients, their jawbones are still developing. In adults, these bones have completed their growth process, meaning that there may be the possibility of orthognathic surgery required in order to align the jawbones.
Being older means there is an increase in calcium deposits in the bone and because of its increase in density, teeth tend to move at a slower rate. As an adult, we take longer to adapt to appliances in our mouth. An adult may experience some gum diseases (periodontal problems) and therefore require a consultation with another specialist, the periodontist before beginning an orthodontic treatment.