Arizona Dental Association Article

More Adults Are Getting Braces

Adult orthodontia is increasingly becoming more popular as older people have now started paying more emphasis on cosmetic dentistry. For anyone toying with the idea of putting their teeth in braces, here is some information that might come in handy and help you make the right decision.

Basically, there are three kinds of braces that you can choose from- invisible, standard metal and clear brackets.

The standard metal braces offer you the best value for money. What’s more, the rubber bands come in different colors and you can pick a color to match your outfit of the day for a completely coordinated look. Clear brackets are a tad larger and may prove to be too big for your lower teeth. The metal wires, though not very prominent, are still visible enough to attract attention to the braces. Clear brackets are higher priced than metal braces and are more difficult to remove making them pretty uncomfortable. Invisible braces are ideally placed behind your teeth but this convenience comes at a very high prices.

Be prepared to spend an average of $4,000 if you plan on getting braces. Some orthodontia insurance plans cover half the total cost so don’t forget to check. Many orthodontists would allow you the convenience of making monthly payments but you would need to put a down payment.

One thing most orthodontists would conveniently forget to tell you is that this treatment hurts. It’s not the same as fitting braces on to children’s teeth, where the slight discomfort lasts a maximum of two to three days and can be controlled by taking any painkiller. Though adults get the same instructions to deal with the pain, its just not enough. This is not just discomfort that adults have to deal with, but real pain. Moreover this is real pain that lasts a real long time. With adults, putting braces hurts. It could hurt a lot, so be prepared. It’s because adult teeth have become set in their ways, much the same as the adults themselves and resist any attempt at change. These permanent teeth have been in the adult’s mouth for about twenty or thirty years and are not inclined to move willingly or easily. Unlike children who have had their permanent teeth in their mouth for a maximum of three to four years.

All this may sound horribly scary but if you can stick with it, it does get easier with time. After every adjustment that you will need to do at about eight –week intervals you would feel a little sore for a day or two. Take that Aspirin or Ibuprofen that was recommended – it will help you get over the next two days and then you’ll be back to normal again at least for the next eight weeks.