When is a person too old to have Orthodontics?

For getting your teeth straightened with orthodontics, or newer teeth straightening systems like Invisalign, age is not the main factor. What is most important is how healthy your teeth, gums and the supporting bone is in your mouth.

In some cases, even where a person has had some bone loss about the teeth they have still been able to have successful orthodontic treatment to straighten their smile. In these sensitive cases treatment is likely to be slower and carefully monitored to ensure that gum tissues remain health and damage to underlying bone is minimised.

The one factor that can prevent a person from having orthodontic treatments is a the prolonged and frequent use of bone density medications. In these situations careful examination and specialist consultants with an Orthodontist will be required to determine the harm and risk factors.

What is Invisalign?

This is a relatively new approach to teeth straightening that has been popularised by Hollywood celebrities. Often called invisible braces, the Invisalign teeth straighten system makes use of a series of transparent, clear retainers (you can think of a retainer as being like a snug fitting mouth guard).

The way it works, is that each of the retainers moves your teeth a tiny amount, as your teeth settle into their new position and become stable, you move on to the next retainer, until your teeth have been positioned to exactly where you want them to be.

The Invisalign system is best suited to adults where the teeth are all fully formed.

Unfortunately, the Invisalign is not able to address all teeth straightening situations, so you’ll need to consult your dentist or orthodontist to find out if this option is available for your situation.

Do I really need to see my Dentist while I’m getting my teeth straightened?

Yes. Even though you’ll be under the care of an Orthodontist, seeing your Dentist for your regular check-ups is important.

Depending on how your teeth and gums respond to the appliances being used for your teeth straightening, your dentist will be able to help you adjust your cleaning and dental hygiene regime to suit.

The last thing you want is to have beautiful straight teeth that suddenly have lots of decay to be dealt with!