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It’s something you think about often—especially when you look in a mirror or at a photo of yourself. You wish something could have been done about it a long time ago. But now you think you’re too old to correct your misaligned teeth—your “crooked” smile.

Actually, you can transform your smile through orthodontics, whatever your age. Millions of your peers have done just that—currently, an estimated one in five orthodontic patients is an adult.

If orthodontics isn’t right for you it won’t be because of age, but most likely the condition of your gums and underlying bone or your overall health. That first factor is extremely important: if you’ve lost a significant amount of bone due to periodontal (gum) disease, there may not be enough to support the force of moving the teeth during orthodontics.

Health conditions like severe heart-valve disease, uncontrolled diabetes or drugs to treat arthritis or osteoporosis can also make tooth movement difficult. And, if you have restricted saliva flow (dry mouth), wearing orthodontic devices could be uncomfortable and increase your risk of tooth decay.

If, however, your mouth and body are reasonably healthy (and you don’t have a difficult bite problem to correct), there’s no reason why you can’t undergo orthodontic treatment. The only other thing that might hold you back is concern over your appearance during treatment. Many adults balk at the possible embarrassment of wearing metal braces “at their age.”

If this is a concern, you may have an alternative: clear aligners. These are a series of computer-generated clear plastic trays that conform to the individual contours of your teeth. Each tray is slightly different—you wear one for a short period of time (usually two weeks) before moving on to the next tray to successively and gradually move your teeth. They’re nearly invisible to others and, unlike fixed metal braces, you can take them out for a rare special occasion.

The only way you’ll know whether correcting your misaligned teeth is a viable option is to undergo a full orthodontic evaluation. From there we can help you decide if and how you want to gain a straighter, more attractive smile.

If you would like more information on adult orthodontics, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Orthodontics for the Older Adult.”

You’ve had crooked teeth since you could remember. Perhaps you and your parents talked about braces when you were a teenager, but it never happened. Now you’re well into your adult years and you’re comfortable with how you look — so why go through the expense and time now to have them straightened?

There’s a good reason to consider orthodontics at any age — improved health. While we mainly associate teeth straightness with an improved smile, the more serious impact of misaligned teeth is on function — how we bite, chew and speak. As with many other areas of life, good form usually makes for good function. When we have crooked teeth, we may not be able to chew our food properly or speak as well as we could if our teeth were aligned properly.

Misaligned bites (malocclusions) can also have an impact on individual tooth health. Because they don’t interact efficiently with their opposing counterparts during chewing or biting, teeth can become loose or migrate further out of alignment.

While improvement in oral health is the primary reason for considering treatment for a malocclusion, don’t discount the benefit of orthodontics to your appearance. Your smile impacts many aspects of your life, including career and social relationships. A straighter, more attractive smile could also boost your self-confidence: even if you think you’ve grown accustomed to your smile, straightening your teeth could vastly change how you view yourself and how you believe others view you.

And if you’re dreading the look and feel of metal braces, orthodontic treatments have made giant strides in the last few decades. Clear aligners, for example, are much less noticeable than traditional fixed braces (and can be removed for special occasions), but still effective for moving teeth. There’s never been a better time to consider straightening your teeth — and change the course of your health and your life.

If you would like more information on orthodontics for adults, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Why Straighten Teeth.”

Magician Michael Grandinetti mystifies and astonishes audiences with his sleight of hand and mastery of illusion. But when he initially steps onto the stage, it’s his smile that grabs the attention. “The first thing… that an audience notices is your smile; it’s what really connects you as a person to them,” Michael told an interviewer.

He attributes his audience-pleasing smile to several years of orthodontic treatment as a teenager to straighten misaligned teeth, plus a lifetime of good oral care. “I’m so thankful that I did it,” he said about wearing orthodontic braces. “It was so beneficial. And… looking at the path I’ve chosen, it was life-changing.”

Orthodontics — the dental subspecialty focused on treating malocclusions (literally “bad bites”) — can indeed make life-changing improvements. Properly positioned teeth are integral to the aesthetics of any smile, and a smile that’s pleasing to look at boosts confidence and self-esteem and makes a terrific first impression. Studies have even linked having an attractive smile with greater professional success.

There can also be functional benefits such as improved biting/chewing and speech, and reduced strain on jaw muscles and joints. Additionally, well-aligned teeth are easier to clean and less likely to trap food particles that can lead to decay.

The Science Behind the Magic

There are more options than ever for correcting bites, but all capitalize on the fact that teeth are suspended in individual jawbone sockets by elastic periodontal ligaments that enable them to move. Orthodontic appliances (commonly called braces or clear aligners) place light, controlled forces on teeth in a calculated fashion to move them into their new desired alignment.

The “gold standard” in orthodontic treatment remains the orthodontic band for posterior (back) teeth and the bonded bracket for front teeth. Thin, flexible wires threaded through the brackets create the light forces needed for repositioning. Traditionally the brackets have been made of metal, but for those concerned about the aesthetics, they can also be made out of a clear material. Lingual braces, which are bonded to the back of teeth instead of the front, are another less visible option. The most discrete appliance is the removable clear aligner, which consists of a progression of custom-made clear trays that reposition teeth incrementally.

How’s that for a disappearing act?!

If you would like more information about orthodontic treatment please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about the subject by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Magic of Orthodontics.”

Our bodies are constantly changing as we age. Although the most rapid development occurs during childhood and adolescence, our bones, soft tissue and bodily systems will continue to change, even as we enter old age.

That includes our mouth and facial structures. Over time change will result in a flatter facial profile: this will cause the nose to gain more prominence as the lower part of our face becomes shorter. The extent of our lip movement can also change with time, resulting in less of our teeth appearing when we smile. The teeth themselves will also wear, which can make them appear shorter.

These and other aging consequences should be taken into account in our dental care. We should consider their impact on the health and function of our teeth (the therapeutic aspect) and our appearance (the cosmetic aspect). Rather than less attention, the effects of aging often require a multi-layered approach to care. The foundation for this care, of course, isn’t laid when we reach our middle or later years, but with the regular and special treatments we receive when we’re young.

For example, the best time to address teeth alignment and bite is usually during early adolescence. Orthodontic treatment will certainly improve dental function and smile appearance in the short term; but improving the bite can also have implications later in life. By anticipating how the soft tissue and bone structure within the face and jaws will continue to develop, we can better determine the final teeth position we wish to achieve. This creates satisfying results in the present and a more stable platform for oral health in the future.

We can apply the same approach to other areas, like the position of the lower jaw. Using orthognathic surgery to reposition it will benefit jaw development throughout adulthood. Making these improvements can diminish the effects of aging later in life.

In essence, dental care is a life-long endeavor that begins when we’re very young and continues into our senior years. Properly caring for your teeth at any age is the key to enjoying good oral health for your entire life.

If you would like more information on the effects of aging on dental health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Understanding Aging Makes Beauty Timeless.”

Fans of the primetime TV show The Middle were delighted to see that high school senior Sue, played by Eden Sher, finally got her braces off at the start of Season 6. But since this popular sitcom wouldn’t be complete without some slapstick comedy, this happy event is not without its trials and tribulations: The episode ends with Sue’s whole family diving into a dumpster in search of the teen’s lost retainer. Sue finds it in the garbage and immediately pops it in her mouth. But wait — it doesn’t fit, it’s not even hers!

If you think this scenario is far-fetched, guess again. OK, maybe the part about Sue not washing the retainer upon reclaiming it was just a gag (literally and figuratively), but lost retainers are all too common. Unfortunately, they’re also expensive to replace — so they need to be handled with care. What’s the best way to do that? Retainers should be brushed daily with a soft toothbrush and liquid soap (dish soap works well), and then placed immediately back in your mouth or into the case that came with the retainer. When you are eating a meal at a restaurant, do not wrap your retainer in a napkin and leave it on the table — this is a great way to lose it! Instead, take the case with you, and keep the retainer in it while you’re eating. When you get home, brush your teeth and then put the retainer back in your mouth.

If you do lose your retainer though, let us know right away. Retention is the last step of your orthodontic treatment, and it’s extremely important. You’ve worked hard to get a beautiful smile, and no one wants to see that effort wasted. Yet if you neglect to wear your retainer as instructed, your teeth are likely to shift out of position. Why does this happen?

As you’ve seen firsthand, teeth aren’t rigidly fixed in the jaw — they can be moved in response to light and continuous force. That’s what orthodontic appliances do: apply the right amount of force in a carefully controlled manner. But there are other forces at work on your teeth that can move them in less predictable ways. For example, normal biting and chewing can, over time, cause your teeth to shift position. To get teeth to stay where they’ve been moved orthodontically, new bone needs to form around them and anchor them where they are. That will happen over time, but only if they are held in place with a retainer. That’s why it is so important to wear yours as directed — and notify us immediately if it gets lost.

And if ever you do have to dig your retainer out of a dumpster… be sure to wash it before putting in in your mouth!

If you would like more information on retainers, please contact us or schedule an appointmentfor a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers” and “Why Orthodontic Retainers?”

Lately, you’ve noticed your young child’s primary teeth don’t appear to be coming in straight. Is it a problem?

The answer to that question is best answered by an early orthodontic evaluation performed by an orthodontist. It’s advisable for a child as young as 7 to undergo such an exam.

While a child’s primary teeth have a short life span of a few years, that doesn’t make them less important than the permanent teeth that replace them. In fact, they’re extremely influential for permanent tooth development — each one serves as a guide for its replacement to erupt in a proper position. A future malocclusion (bad bite) that becomes more apparent later in life would have been well underway years before.

Orthodontists have the training and expertise to spot these emerging problems in their early stages. Early detection can reduce the extent — and costliness — of future orthodontic treatment by introducing preventative or interceptive measures — even while there’s still a mix of primary and permanent teeth in the mouth. For example, a child wearing a simple type of retainer that influences the development of the bite could minimize or even correct a growing malocclusion.

You can also take advantage of opportunities to discover potential orthodontic problems early through a general or pediatric dentist. By having regular dental cleanings and checkups, the dentist might observe early bite development that should be reviewed by an orthodontist. If not, it’s still a good idea to undergo an orthodontic evaluation no later than age 7.

Given the stage of jaw and facial structure development, waiting until puberty to focus on orthodontic problems may be too late for some problems — and much more expensive than if caught and treated earlier. Getting ahead of these issues earlier in your child’s dental development will help ensure they’ll have a healthy bite throughout their life.

If you would like more information on early orthodontic monitoring, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Early Orthodontic Evaluation” and “Preventative & Cost Saving Orthodontics.”

Permanent tooth loss at any age greatly affects long-term oral health. But because their jaw and facial structures are still developing, it’s particularly consequential for adolescents. Add to that any planned orthodontic treatment, and a little extra care is warranted when a teenager loses a tooth.

The biggest concern is potential bone loss caused by the missing tooth. Because the mouth structures are still developing, bone loss can be especially problematic for any future restorations of missing teeth. One of the best ways to slow or stop bone loss is to surgically insert bone-grafting material at the time of an extraction. Bone grafts act as scaffolds that the body builds natural bone upon; eventually the natural bone completely replaces the graft material.

When it comes to the matter of orthodontics, the treatment plan will be to either close the space so that future tooth replacement isn’t necessary or maintain the space for future tooth replacement. If the choice is the latter, the orthodontist will maintain enough space during installation of the braces for future replacement. In the meantime, the orthodontist can install temporary, color-matched tooth replacements within the braces to cover the gap. After the braces have been removed, artificial crowns may also be incorporated into the retainers for a more natural appearance until receiving a permanent replacement.

The best choice for that permanent replacement is a dental implant, a “stand-alone” system that encourages bone maintenance and doesn’t interfere or impact adjacent teeth. The only real question for adolescents is when to install the implants.

The mouth’s structural development doesn’t conclude until early adulthood: in males around ages 20, and in females typically a year or so earlier. Your dentist will evaluate your adolescent’s growth and development to determine if he or she is ahead or behind the growth curve. Natural teeth grow and develop along with the corresponding bone growth, but implants are artificial devices that don’t “grow” with the natural bone. It’s important, therefore, to postpone an implant installation until the jaw structure has fully developed — if done too early, the implant crown’s length won’t appear to be proportionally right (especially in relation to natural teeth) as the jaw continues to grow.

If you would like more information on dental implants for teenagers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants for Teenagers.”

The field of orthodontics continues to progress with new and innovative techniques. One such innovation is known as a TAD — Temporary Anchorage Device. Best described as “mini-implants,” TADs provide orthodontists with more precise control over the movement and positioning of certain teeth that could reduce treatment time.

Braces, the most common form of orthodontic device, are small brackets affixed to the outside of the teeth. We thread small flexible wires through the brackets which in turn apply gentle pressure to the teeth. This puts pressure on the periodontal ligament, an elastic tissue that holds the teeth in place to the jawbone. The ligament has small fibers that insert into the teeth and are held there by a substance called cementum. The pressure on the ligament causes it to form new bone, ligament and cementum as it moves into the new desired position.

Of course, each orthodontic case is different. The best outcome for some patients is to move only certain teeth, while minimizing movement on others. This involves a concept in orthodontics known as “anchorage,” a planned circumstance where certain teeth or groups of teeth are immobilized (or “anchored”) to prevent movement.

TADs do just that — they are, in effect, mini-screws or implants temporarily placed in the jaw bone to inhibit movement of a specific tooth or group of teeth, while not interfering with the movement of the misaligned teeth. These tiny devices are typically installed using only local anesthesia to numb the general location of their placement, and then removed when orthodontic treatment is completed.

TADs are part of an overall strategy to correct poor bite and teeth misalignment in the most precise and efficient way possible. They require planning, sometimes through consultation with different dental disciplines, to assure that their placement won’t damage nerves, sinuses or other vital structures. Their use, though, could help shorten treatment time with braces, and help contribute to the best possible outcome — a new smile.

If you would like more information on transitional mini implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “What are TADs?”