There is a general belief that when you are older it is too late to straighten your teeth with orthodontic treatment.
BUT IS THIS A MYTH?!
YES! The truth is people can benefit from orthodontic treatment at ANY age!
WHY?
Teeth that are crooked, crowded or stick out affect the way your teeth look and work. In addition to improving the look of your smile, orthodontic treatment help keep your teeth healthy.
Everyone loves to have a pleasant smile at any age. Every person hopes to enjoy their food using their healthy teeth in their senior years. Thanks to the latest technique and science we can all enjoy that!
Here is a list of problems that can be avoided with adult orthodontic treatment:
Teeth Cavities
Gum Problems
Teeth Wear
Unpleasant Smile
Let's review each of the above and see how they can be avoided for a healthy and beautiful smile!
Teeth Cavities
Crowding or crooked teeth allow the food to be trapped more easily. Plaque (build-up that causes cavity) accumulates much easier in the crowded teeth.
In addition, brushing and flossing are more difficult and tedious when crowding is present.
These will all lead to developing cavities. Cavities can be filled but when crowding persists the teeth will get bigger cavities and eventually need to be taken out.
Interesting fact: lower front teeth crowding gets worse as we age! Because the forces in our mouth push teeth forward constantly causing them become more crooked!
Gum Problems
When teeth are crowded or crooked it is much harder to keep them clean. Brushing and flossing is much more difficult than when teeth are straight.
In addition, when teeth are not straight they may be positioned forward. The forward position makes the supporting gum very thin.
Then gums recede easily as it is not very strong. When gum height is lost it will never grow back.
All of the above makes teeth prone to gum problems since gum and bone surrounding the teeth are the foundation to keep teeth healthy.
Teeth Wear
When teeth are not positioned correctly, they contact each other where they shouldn't. Through daily function, they rub against each other and cause too much wear.
As teeth do not grow back, teeth wear will be permanent. Teeth wear takes away the youthfulness of the smile and makes the smile look older than it is.
In some cases when our teeth have severe wear, treating them can require extensive work.
Unpleasant Smile
Last but not least is the effect of crowded teeth on a smile. Crooked teeth make the smile look unpleasant.
Everyone loves to have a great first impression. A healthy-looking smile is an easy way to have an outstanding first impression.
In a professional environment, an appealing smile shows you care.
All of the above and can be avoided by orthodontic treatment at any age. Different treatment modalities are available to fix crooked teeth.
To see how you can straighten your teeth you can always book a consultation with a certified orthodontist. The orthodontist will go over different options for treatment.
Dr. Dorrin Nilforoushan is an orthodontist practicing in Leaside, Toronto. She is a clinical instructor teaching orthodontics at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry. She is a mother of three kids and loves educating parents.
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