<strong>Adult Orthodontics | Jennifer L. Martin, DDS

Orthodontics is not only for children and teens. Your teeth continue to shift into adulthood resulting in crooked teeth, a misaligned bite, or other painful side effects. Whether you’re unhappy with your teeth for cosmetic or health reasons, it’s not too late to improve your smile.

It’s true, you can have a healthy, beautiful smile at any age. Orthodontic treatment is a viable option for almost any adult. Like youngsters, adults can experience the self-assurance that comes with a confident smile, along with the benefits of improved oral health.

Advances in adult orthodontics have made treatment more comfortable and less noticeable than ever. Many of today’s treatment options are designed to minimize the appearance of the appliance to better fit your lifestyle.

How is Adult Orthodontics Different from Child Orthodontics?

The biggest difference in orthodontics for adults is that adults are no longer growing. Adult treatment may take slightly longer than treatment for children/teens with a similar problem due to the maturity and density of the bone adults have. Some medications and habits, like smoking, clenching or grinding teeth, or tongue thrusting, can affect the outcome of treatment. It’s common for orthodontists to work with a patient’s family dentist to coordinate care. In order to reach optimal dental health, the dentist and adult orthodontist may need to call in other dental specialists, such as oral surgeons, periodontists, and endodontists.

Common Dental Problems in Adults

Overcrowding - Overcrowding is when the size and number of teeth are larger than the underlying supporting bone resulting in overlapping.

Overbite - An overbite is when the upper front teeth excessively overlap the bottom front teeth when the back teeth are closed. This is also called a closed bite or deep bite.

Underbite - An underbite is when the lower front teeth or jaw sit ahead of the upper front teeth or jaw. This is also known as a Class III malocclusion.

Protruding Teeth – If you have protruding teeth, it means your teeth stick out further than is aesthetically pleasing. This can occur in both arches or just the top.

Open Bite - An open bite is a malocclusion in which teeth do not make contact with each other. With an anterior open bite, the front teeth do not touch when the back teeth are closed together.

Jaw Pain - There are several causes of jaw pain, and a bad bite is one of them. Other common causes include habits (clenching or grinding), stress, trauma, and neuralgia (non-specific pain unrelated to structures or functions in the area).

Tooth Wearing or Decay - Although all teeth wear, malaligned teeth wear unevenly and more quickly than those that are straight.

Gum Disease - Gum disease is a chronic infection of the gums that stems from a build-up of plaque. There are three stages of gum disease: gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis.