If you’ve made it to adulthood without braces, you might feel like you can go the rest of your life without them. However, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes your teeth can shift in unexpected ways, necessitating orthodontic solutions.
It can be daunting to need braces when you’re an adult, but you should know you’re not alone. If you’re concerned about your upcoming braces, continue reading to learn what to expect.
1. You Have Options
The first thing to know about adult braces is that you aren’t going to be stuck with one option. Dental technology has advanced significantly in the last couple of decades. Gone are the days when you’d be forced to wear metal wires in your mouth. Now you can get personalized clear aligners like Invisalign.
2. You Have Better Financing
When you were younger, you may not have had any income that you could use to get the treatment you needed. Today, you can easily afford the cost of braces, especially since most dentist offices will allow you to make payments through programs like CareCredit, Lending Club, or other in-house financing options.
Additionally, some costs might be covered by your insurance if you’re required to straighten your teeth for non-cosmetic reasons.
3. It Can Be Convenient
Braces used to be a hassle but the treatment plans of today, aided by advanced technology, are quicker and require fewer visits for adjustments. With metal-less options like Invisalign, you may only need to see your dentist once a month.
4. It Will Improve Your Oral Health
Sometimes knowing that you’re working toward something good for you is enough to keep you going. At the end of your treatment, your teeth will feel better in your mouth and cause far less discomfort.
When teeth are misaligned, they can cause all sorts of problems from teeth grinding and jaw pain to biting your cheeks and tongue and speech changes. Braces can fix these issues.
5. You’re Not Going to Wear Braces Forever
Some people never get braces simply because they don’t want to be stuck with them “forever.” The good news is that braces take less time than you may think. Depending on the severity of your dental problems and the style of braces you choose, you can expect to be wearing them for a little over a year. In the worst-case scenario, you might wear them for two years.
Braces aren’t the mountain you may think you’ll have to climb. In the grand scheme of things, it’s more like a speed bump. Awaiting you on the other side is a boost of confidence and the comfort to continue enjoying life the way you want. So, if you think you need braces, visit your dentist for a consultation. The sooner you begin treatment, the better.
About the Author
Dr. Gaurav Tyagi loves seeing his patients smile. He’s a highly skilled prosthodontist with years of experience in everything from fillings to full-mouth restorations. Dr. Tyagi obtained his dental doctorate from the University of California San Francisco and went on to complete a three-year residency program in prosthodontics at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Jersey. To schedule an Invisalign consultation at Luminescence Dentistry, call (469) 746-5582 or visit the website to discover other services.