Am I too old for braces? Will Invisalign® still work if I’m in my 40s or older? We hear these types of questions a lot at our Shorewood and Naperville orthodontic practice and the truth is, you’re never too old to get a smile you love. As long as your teeth and gums are healthy, we can achieve amazing results with braces or Invisalign at any age. Even if you do have oral health challenges, we can coordinate with your general dentist or specialists to ensure you get to a place where you can safely and effectively receive orthodontic care. In fact, some teeth and gum issues stem from a poor bite. Once the bite is improved, sometimes we see an improvement in the condition of the gum! To help give you a better idea of what adult orthodontic treatment entails and what your treatment options are, we’re answering some common questions on the subject.
What are the Benefits of Invisalign or Braces for Adults?
Wearing Invisalign or getting braces as an adult will give you a fantastic smile and improve your appearance. However, there are some other key benefits as well:
- Straightening your teeth and moving them to their ideal position gives you a more symmetrical, wider smile, which makes you look younger. Think of it as a mini facelift!
- When you’re happy with your smile, you’ll receive a huge boost in confidence and self-esteem that carries over into every aspect of your life, including your career and relationships.
- Straight teeth are easier to clean, which helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Gum disease is tied to a host of health conditions, including diabetes and stroke, so by improving your oral health, you’ll in turn improve your overall health.
- When teeth are in their correct places, it reduces uneven wear and erosion of the enamel. Reducing the protrusion of front teeth also makes them less susceptible to injury and damage.
- Aligning the jaw and ensuring the bite is coming together correctly takes undue stress off of your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which can help with jaw pain and headaches.
- An aligned bite helps you chew, speak and breathe properly.
Are Invisalign and Braces for Adults Effective?
While, yes, there are certain orthodontic issues that are easier to treat when a patient is still growing and we’re able to guide the development of their jaw, we can still achieve amazing outcomes for our adult patients. At Innovative Orthodontic Centers, we use the most cutting-edge treatments and tools that allow us to get great results with braces or Invisalign even in cases that would have required jaw surgery in the past. In fact, we’re known for helping patients avoid jaw surgery. We harness a unique combination of high-tech orthodontic appliances, diagnostic tools, and digital treatment planning. These allow us to achieve some seriously complex tooth movements and get stable, dramatic results.
“Being in my 30’s I was self-conscious of having braces so I loved that with Invisalign I could take out my trays for social functions and it was so discreet. I also appreciated that Invisalign did not require frequent office visits which was so helpful since childcare is always difficult to arrange. My only regret is not doing this sooner and I am forever indebted to Dr. Manal Ibrahim and the staff at Innovative Orthodontic Centers for changing my life. Now I can speak clearly, eat anything I want (hello buffalo wings), and have confidence in my appearance.” – Kelly Z.
Read Kelly’s full story here.
Does Adult Orthodontic Treatment Take a Lot Longer?
At some practices, adult orthodontics can take longer because they rely on older technology and outdated orthodontic appliances. At our practice, that’s not the case. We’re leaders in comfortable, accelerated orthodontics and we help patients of all ages get results more efficiently. By using computerized treatment planning and tools like custom Invisalign aligners and SureSmile® prescription braces wires, we eliminate a lot of the mechanical inefficiencies that cause treatment to drag on. Instead, the teeth take a direct path to their desired places and we don’t have to waste time eliminating unnecessary movements or making adjustments. This also means fewer office visits, making adult orthodontic treatment much more convenient.
What are the Orthodontic Options for Adults?
At our practice, we offer our Shorewood and Naperville adult braces patients the option of self-ligating clear braces with SureSmile prescription wires. Our braces are much smaller, more streamlined and more attractive than ever before and they’ll blend in with your smile. The advanced clear brackets we use are very durable and resist staining. Self-ligating brackets have the added benefits of being more comfortable due to reduced friction and being easier to keep clean. In addition to our brackets, our SureSmile wires are custom made just for you using robotic wire-bending technology. The wire-bending is accurate to within one-tenth of a millimeter and this precision means treatment is on overage 29% faster than it would be with conventional wires. Even better? The results are outstanding.
If you’re not into the idea of getting braces as an adult, Invisalign is the most popular option among our adult orthodontic patients. The treatment involves a series of removable, smooth, clear aligners that are virtually invisible when you smile. Dr. Gin and Dr. Ibrahim design the custom aligners using a digital, 3D model of your teeth, creating the ideal smile for your facial features. With Invisalign, there are no food restrictions, the aligners are extremely comfortable, and you can brush and floss as you normally would. We have proudly been recognized for changing over 3,000 lives and smiles with Invisalign. How do you like that for experience?
What if I Had Braces Before and Relapsed?
If you had braces in the past and your teeth have shifted or you just need minor corrections, we offer Sensational Smiles. With Sensational Smiles, you’ll come in for an exam and a digital scan and Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Gin will plan out your treatment. They’ll create custom Invisalign aligners that you’ll then change at home without all of the office visits. With this limited treatment targeted to your needs, you’ll get your dream smile for 60% less than the cost of full Invisalign treatment and in half the time. Unlike other at-home aligner options, your treatment will be planned by an expert Diamond+ Invisalign provider and you’ll receive real Invisalign aligners for better results. We also allow you to upgrade at any time and apply the cost of Sensational Smiles to comprehensive treatment.
Can I Get Braces or Invisalign if I Have a Crown or Implant?
Yes. You can get Invisalign or braces with a crown, bridge or any other reconstructive dental work. With a crown, the tooth’s root is intact and it will shift in response to the gentle pressure exerted from your appliance. A bridge will move as one unit so it’s a good idea to see an orthodontist who has experience in treating adult patients with dental work like Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Gin. If you have an implant, you can still get orthodontic treatment. Our doctors have expertise in carefully planning out your treatment, even with your implant in place. In fact, Dr. Ibrahim is dual trained in both orthodontics and prosthodontics, so she can put her experience to work for you.
Can I Get Adult Orthodontic Treatment if I Have Gum Disease?
Your teeth will move most effectively in a healthy oral environment. Therefore, you’ll want to visit a dentist to treat your gum disease and ensure your teeth are healthy enough for adult braces or Invisalign. Since gum disease can be the result of misaligned teeth that are hard to clean, sometimes, orthodontic treatment is actually recommended as a component of your treatment plan. The good news is that as part of the Innovative Dental Partners family, we’re under the same roof as Naperville Dental Specialists. We can refer you to a general dentist or specialist there so that you can conveniently receive all of your treatment in one place. We can coordinate with the dentist to ensure you get the best outcome and healthiest smile.
Is Adult Orthodontics Expensive?
We strive to make the cost of adult braces or Invisalign work for your budget. We accept most insurance plans and we have a variety of payment and financing options, including CareCredit, Lending Point and in-office financing. We also offer a discount for treatment that is paid in full at the start. We can work with your HSA or FSA and we even have an in-office dental savings plan for patients without insurance. At your initial consultation, we’ll present you with the cost of braces or Invisalign and work with you to decide on the financing that suits your needs.
Should I Wait Until After the Coronavirus Pandemic to Get Invisalign or Braces?
Now is a great time to start your orthodontic treatment. At our practice, we’ve gone above and beyond when it comes to COVID-19 safety protocols to keep our patients, team members and community safe. Additionally, thanks to our high-tech approach, we’re able to minimize unnecessary office visits while getting amazing results. Our self-ligating braces with SureSmile wires and Invisalign aligners straighten your teeth when you’re at home without constant adjustments. Even during the shutdown, we continued to offer uninterrupted care with virtual visits and consultations, which you can read about here. Getting orthodontic treatment during the coronavirus is safe at our practice and you’ll still get amazing results while social distancing.
If you’re interested in learning more about our orthodontic options for adults or you’re ready to jump right into perfecting your smile, schedule an in-person or virtual consultation at Innovative Orthodontic Centers today!
