Many adults haven’t received an appropriate orthodontic treatment in their childhood. Today, most people set a great store by their appearance which may include improving their dental aesthetic. That’s why more and more adults decide to make up for the mistakes of youth.
The reasons for a orthodontic treatment in adults may include:
- misaligned teeth
- crowding of front lower teeth
- gap development in the upper jaw
- preparing for receiving prostheses or implants
- jaw joint disorders
- combined orthodontic and jaw surgery treatment.
If there are healthy teeth and enough bone structure in one’s mouth, there is no age limit in terms of orthodontic treatment. A treatment can make sense even at the age of 60 or 70. There are invisible aligners which have been developed particularly for adults.
A line of invisible, thin and elastic aligners made of special plastic gently moves the teeth to the desired position. Depending on the malocclusion severity, the patient receives 3 to 6 transparent aligners. After 2 or 3 weeks application, the patient changes the aligner. The aligners are nearly invisible in the mouth, they allow you to speak as normal. You only have to remove it before eating and teeth brushing.
- Lingual technique, a firm brace from the inside which is therefore invisible, too. However, a lingual brace can be only applied in patients who's teeth are long enough to bond the refined brace to their inner side.
How do the teeth move during the course of one’s life?
Due to the breakdown and build-up of the bones, a tooth can change its position. The pressure side is the side the tooth is supposed to move to. The jawbone is biologically predetermined to break down on the spots where it is exposed to constant pressure. Tooth fibres on the side which is not facing the pressure extend and the bone begins to build up new tissue. Not until then the tooth is able to move into the desired direction.
In the most cases, the breakdown of the bone takes less time than its build-up which results in temporary teeth loosening during orthodontic treatment. When the build-up of the bone is completed the tooth becomes firm again. Due to these breakdown and build-up processes, the teeth are constantly in motion for a lifetime.
That is why orthodontic treatment of a healthy periodontium can be carried out up to an old age. However, since the teeth tend to come back to their original position, the retention period after orthodontic treatment is very important. In particular cases it might take more time or even last for a lifetime.