You might be helping your teenager remember their rubber bands or cheering on your child for brushing around their brackets like a pro, but what about your own smile? Orthodontic care isn’t a childhood rite of passage or something you missed out on. It’s an option for you right now, and it’s more doable than you think. At Saddle Creek Orthodontics, we see adults from all walks of life investing in healthier, more confident smiles. Sometimes it’s for the first time, and sometimes it’s to correct shifting from years ago. No matter your reason, there’s orthodontic options for adults that fit your lifestyle, and it starts with knowing your options.
You’re Not Too Old To Start Treatment
Unlike a certain delicious cereal, orthodontic care is not just for kids! (Or teens!) Adults can and often do benefit from orthodontic treatment. As long as you have healthy teeth and gums, you can be a candidate for orthodontic treatment. Whether you want to make small changes before a big event, like graduating from college or getting married, or you need to correct some shifting because you didn’t wear your retainer, or you’re a first-time patient who desires a big change, it’s not too late to start your smile transformation.
In fact, adults often make excellent orthodontic patients for several reasons:
- Goal-Oriented: Adults seek treatment with a clear purpose, whether for health, aesthetics, or both, making them more motivated to follow their orthodontist’s recommendations.
- Take Treatment Seriously: Unlike kids or teens who may need reminders, adults are more likely to wear aligners as directed, follow hygiene guidelines, and keep up with appointments.
- Good Communication: Adults can articulate their concerns, ask informed questions, and collaborate on a treatment plan that fits their lifestyle.
- Prioritize Long-Term Results: Many adults see orthodontic care as an investment in their future, ensuring a healthy, functional smile for years to come.
- More Control Over Their Choices: From selecting the right treatment option to managing their schedule, adults can take a purposeful and active role in their orthodontic journey.
Benefits of Adult Orthodontics
Having a Memphis orthodontist like Dr. Kyle or Dr. John is like having a personal trainer for your teeth. Just as a trainer helps fine-tune your body for strength and balance, orthodontics guides your teeth into proper alignment for both aesthetics and function. Braces and Invisalign work like customized workout plans, gradually shifting your teeth into place for incredible benefits you’ll appreciate every day, including:
- Improved Oral Health: Straight teeth are easier to clean, reducing the risk of cavities, gum disease, and long-term dental issues.
- Better Chewing & Digestion: A well-aligned bite makes it easier to chew food properly, which aids digestion and overall health.
- Clearer Speech: Properly positioned teeth support improved pronunciation and communication.
- Reduced Jaw & Head Pain: Correcting bite issues can alleviate strain on the jaw, reducing discomfort and headaches.
- Boosted Confidence: A balanced, beautiful smile can improve self-esteem and make social interactions more enjoyable.
- Improved Confidence: First impressions matter. People with straight teeth are seen as more confident, successful, and approachable after a first meeting. 48% of adults also say a smile is the most memorable feature after a first meeting! This is why investing in your smile is more than just cosmetic; it’s a personal and professional power.
- Prevention of Erosion: An ideal, healthy bite can minimize excessive wear or trauma to affected teeth.
- Improved Sleep & Breathing: Depending on the cause of sleep apnea, orthodontics can help reduce or alleviate sleep apnea symptoms in adults.
Types of Treatment
At Saddle Creek Orthodontics, we proudly offer three kinds of treatments for adults to choose between. This allows our Germantown, Collierville, and Memphis patients to choose the option that is best for their smile goals and lifestyle, so they can experience minimal disruption to their day-to-day while crossing something awesome off their bucket list. Let’s check them out.
Metal Braces
Over the years, metal braces have received many upgrades to their design; they’re no longer the big, uncomfortable braces you saw in pop culture or on your friends in your childhood. Today, they’re sleek, low profile, and more comfortable than ever.
Metal braces continue to be a popular choice among adult orthodontic patients due to their strength, durability, and efficiency. They can handle even complex cases with ease. Many adult patients also love the customization that comes with metal braces—at every adjustment appointment, you get to choose the colors of your ligatures, making sure your smile stays true to you every step of the way.
Invisalign
Countless people have skipped getting adult orthodontic treatment because they don’t want to change their diet or oral hygiene routine, like braces require, or they are intimidated by braces, or they simply don’t like the look of them. That’s why Invisalign clear aligners took the orthodontic world by storm.
The custom-made, transparent, plastic trays fit snugly on the teeth for an almost invisible way to upgrade your smile. Because they’re removable, you don’t have to restrict your food options to protect them.
The aligners must be worn for about 22 hours a day, and when you take them out for eating, drinking, and oral hygiene, you have to take good care of them. Every two weeks, you’ll switch to a new aligner in place of a wire adjustment.
Clear Braces
Clear braces, also known as ceramic braces, are an amazing alternative for adult patients who think modern metal braces are still too eye-catching and aren’t fans of the removability of Invisalign aligners.
They have the same overall design as metal braces—brackets, wires, and ligatures—with one big difference: what the brackets are made of! Instead of being made of high-grade stainless steel, nickel, and other metals, clear brackets consist of a tooth-colored polycrystalline ceramic material. It gives the illusion of your braces being clear, providing a far more subtle aesthetic than metal braces.
It’s important to note that while brackets are also stain-resistant, and the ligatures get replaced at every point, the glue holding the braces might become discolored if you’re not mindful of your eating habits or thorough with your oral hygiene. Even still, patients of adult orthodontics love them because they offer consistent results without the worry of remembering to wear aligners. Once they’re on, they work around the clock, making these durable, low-profile Collierville, TN braces effective for both minor and complex cases.
How To Know Which Adult Orthodontics Treatment Is Right For You?
Choosing the right braces for adults option is a big decision, and your Collierville orthodontist team at Saddle Creek Orthodontics is here to help you navigate this journey with ease and confidence. Before you get your heart set on subtle fixed braces or removable clear aligners, consider this:
Lifestyle Compatibility
Think about your daily routine and social commitments. If you’re often in the public eye or concerned about the aesthetic aspect of treatment, Invisalign clear aligners and clear braces provide the low-key look you desire.
However, if you’re considering clear aligners, you must also be realistic about whether you can commit to wearing and keeping track of trays. Losing, damaging, or not wearing your aligners can negatively affect your treatment experience, like losing the pen to your Nintendo DS.
Treatment Goals
While braces and aligners are all effective for a wide range of corrections, the complexity of your case might make one option more suitable than another. Clear and metal braces are exceptional for mild to complex alignments due to their precise control over tooth movement. On the other hand, Invisalign offers Memphis a superb solution for those with mild to moderate alignment issues, or who just want to make minor tweaks to their smile.
Maintenance & Hygiene
Braces are fixed to the teeth, which means they require careful cleaning around brackets. You must adjust your oral hygiene routine to accommodate the brackets and wires, including cleaning them after every meal. Alternatively, aligners are removed for eating, drinking, oral hygiene, and aligner cleaning, which makes their maintenance simpler than braces, but still requires the same discipline to clean them multiple times a day. It would all depend on which specific process best suits your day-to-day life.
Feeling Inspired To Change Your Smile?
Adult orthodontics can be the missing piece between liking your smile and loving it. It can help you feel more confident, more comfortable, and more in control of your oral health. The team at Saddle Creek Orthodontics understands how busy adulthood can be, which is why we offer flexible treatment plans, low-profile options, and a welcoming experience that meets you where you are. If you’re ready to learn more, we’re ready to help. Contact our Collierville or Germantown orthodontic office today to schedule your free consultation.