Here at Gleason Orthodontics, we’re proud to work with patients of all ages throughout the Webster community! We create beautiful smiles for children, teens, and adults from our state-of-the-art office. In fact, we’re treating more adults than ever before! While orthodontics was once viewed as a rite of passage for teens, there’s been a shift in the way adults think about treatment. Currently, about 1 in every 3 patients is over the age of 18!
If you’re an adult who’s spent years feeling self-conscious about how your teeth look or feel, you no longer have to settle for a smile you don’t love! You may have wondered if the chance to improve your oral health has passed you by, and we’re here to tell you that it definitely hasn’t. It’s never too late to get the beautifully aligned smile you’ve always wanted, and orthodontics can help you achieve that. Let’s look at some of the other benefits of choosing adult braces!
Better chewing
When your teeth and jaws are out of alignment, it can be difficult to bite down and chew your food correctly. Over time, this may contribute to excessive wear and tear on your teeth or weakening the jaw muscles. Orthodontic treatment will align your bite, reducing or eliminating any painful chewing you’ve been experiencing.
Improved digestion
Chewing is the first and most important step in the digestive process. If misaligned teeth are throwing off your ability to chew efficiently, it can negatively affect your whole digestive system. When your teeth have trouble breaking down food, it will pass through your system much more slowly. Chewing may also be painful due to tooth or jaw pain, limiting what and how often you can eat. Orthodontic treatment can correct misalignments, making it easier to eat all the foods you love!
Clear speech
Your speech can also be affected by the alignment of your teeth and jaws. Misaligned teeth can influence the placement of the tip of the tongue, which is essential to properly form certain sounds, including ‘t,’ ‘n’, and ‘d.’ Dr. Gleason will be able to help identify and assess the severity of any speech issues related to misalignment. He can then devise the most effective solution for you based on your specific needs.
Enhanced oral health
Regular brushing and flossing are an essential part of any dental hygiene routine, but teeth that are crooked or crowded can be difficult to clean. This can cause plaque and bacteria to build up, increasing the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and cavities. Although these are common dental ailments, they’re also preventable! Treatment with our expert team can help move the teeth into more aligned positions, making it much easier to maintain good oral hygiene.
Correct jaw alignment
Misaligned teeth can have a noticeable effect on your jaw muscles and joints. When jaws are forced to compensate for bad positioning, the joints will adapt in response but often in a way that can cause further damage. This is why we see a lot of patients that have jaw issues and misaligned teeth. Some common symptoms you may experience with improper jaw alignment are:
- headaches or migraines
- jaw that seems to pop or “creak”
- pain in the jaw, neck, or shoulders
- sleep disorders
When you choose our practice, Dr. Gleason will create a personalized treatment plan for you to properly align your teeth and jaws. This approach will give you a custom smile that feels good, functions well, and looks beautiful!
What treatment options are available for adult patients?
Whatever your reason for seeking treatment as an adult, there are more options than ever before to help you achieve the results you’re looking for. We offer the following treatments for a major smile makeover.
Traditional metal braces
Traditional metal braces are an orthodontic staple for a reason! This is one of our most efficient treatments, particularly for more severe or complicated cases. Modern braces use high-quality stainless steel, but innovations in the design mean they’re much more comfortable than previous versions. The total treatment time also tends to be shorter than it used to be.
Ceramic braces
These function in much the same way traditional braces do but use ceramic brackets instead of metal ones. For an almost invisible treatment option, the clear brackets can be used with elastics or ties that are also clear, white, or tooth-colored! Ceramic braces can be an excellent choice for image-conscious patients, but since they’re more delicate than metal braces, we tend to recommend them to our older teen and adult patients only.
Clear aligners
Gleason Orthodontics offers clear aligners from Spark® as well as our Clear Confidence in-house brand! These exciting systems use a series of removable aligners to gently move the teeth into the desired positions. This is accomplished by wearing them 20-22 hours per day throughout the treatment process. Each aligner will also need to be replaced for the next in the system every 1-2 weeks.
Clear aligners offers patients an extra measure of comfort and flexibility. There are no food restrictions since aligners are removed when eating or drinking. The removability factor also makes it easy to keep your teeth and gums in good shape! You don’t have to work around wires and brackets so you can simply brush and floss the way you normally would.
Each of these options can be a great fit for busy adults, but what works for one patient may not be a good fit for another. You can trust Dr. Gleason to recommend only the treatment method he feels will work best with your smile, lifestyle, and goals.
Get the smile you’ve always wanted with Gleason Orthodontics
Gleason Orthodontics is proud to offer patients the full 5-star package! Our talented team is dedicated to providing everyone we treat with clear communication, compassionate care, and superior results. If you’d like to know more about the many ways an aligned bite can benefit you, get in touch today! We’ll be happy to get you scheduled for a FREE consultation with Dr. Gleason.
