Braces: Is It Ever Too Late?

article by Raha Sepehrara

When you think of braces, the image that comes along with it is, more than likely, that of a teenager. 

They are so often the target market for braces because when there are no more baby teeth to lose and plenty of adult teeth that aren’t sitting quite right in the mouth, the teen years are an idea time to treatment is effective.

While teens aren’t always keen on the idea of being submitted to straightening, parents are often fairly hot on the idea – they want their sons and daughters to look as pretty as a picture, and that includes getting wonky teeth straightened. 

But braces aren’t just for the young. 

And to answer the question as to whether it’s ever too late to have braces, the answer is no. 

For many, the option to have teeth straightened when they were younger just wasn’t there – it’s not the cheapest of procedures, and sometimes that money can be put to other, more pressing uses. Neither is it the most comfortable of things have done to one’s mouth, and the pain and inconvenience can often put people off. 

Not so for the adults who choose to have braces. They are usually more financially secure. And because they’ve always really wanted straighter teeth, they’re prepared to accept a little discomfort. 

The main difference between the procedure for adult braces, as opposed to those for children, is that children’s jaws are still growing. In fact, the jaw doesn’t entirely stop growing until around the age of 21. Orthodontists know this – of course – and use the fact to enhance the work of the braces, giving the teeth an extra nudge in the right direction. 

However, once the jaw stops growing this option is no longer available – those bones won’t budge, and they certainly aren’t going to be any help in pushing the teeth into position. This is why fitting an adult brace is such a specialised job. The orthodontist will need to examine each tooth and work out a plan in which they can move the teeth without causing damage to them or the nerves below. 

It’s not impossible. It just takes skill. 

These days, more and more adults are receiving braces for very many reasons. But these are not (necessarily) the old grey metal ones of our youth. The new generation of braces are all-but invisible thanks to a large and helpful leap in technology. 

So, what about it? Could your smile do with a bit of straightening? 

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