There are many adults who assume that they’re too old for orthodontic treatment and that you cannot obtain treatments such as Invisalign as an adult. Fortunately, you can indeed obtain adult orthodontic treatment. Even knowing this, there are those who wonder if they should even bother. Aren’t permanent teeth harder to move than baby teeth? Can adult orthodontic treatment even work and provide you with the same results as if you’d had it done earlier in life? Is it worth getting Invisalign as an adult?

Here’s what you need to know about what getting Invisalign as an adult is like so that you can determine whether or not it is worth it to you. 

Is Invisalign Worth It As An Adult?

Straight teeth can go a long way to improve your self-esteem and confidence in your smile, something that Invisalign can help with. Adults can get orthodontic treatment the same as teens and children, the difference being that it can take longer, since adult teeth are harder to move. While many adults may want straight teeth, they don’t want to have to deal with braces, which is where getting Invisalign as an adult can be more than worth it.

Invisalign gives you all the same results as traditional braces, but at a lower expense and in a far less noticeable way. Invisalign is very adaptable to your lifestyle, with all you need to do different is taking them out when you eat, drink, or clean your teeth. Invisalign doesn’t hurt, is easy to take out and put back on, and gives you all the same benefits as braces with none of the self-consciousness.

If that sounds great to you, then yes, Invisalign as an adult is more than worth it. Chances are, if you’re looking up Invisalign, you already know that these clear aligners can straighten your teeth. It’s just whether or not you are willing to commit to them that makes or breaks the deal in your desire to have straight teeth. 

What You Need To Know About Getting Invisalign As An Adult

As previously mentioned, getting orthodontic treatment takes a longer time than getting it at a younger age. This is because your baby teeth are much easier to move than your permanent teeth – they’re meant to come out eventually, after all, while your permanent teeth are, well, permanent. 

When you get Invisalign as an adult, you can expect the overall process to be quite different from getting traditional bracers. Your orthodontist will make a mold of your teeth which they’ll use to make your first set of aligners. As treatment progresses, you will need to go back in to have more aligners made after the previous set has adjusted your teeth as much as possible. This process will repeat until your orthodontist and you are satisfied with the straightness of your teeth.

Once you’re done with your aligners, you’ll then have to wear a retainer for a while, in order to preserve the position of your teeth. 

You’ll need to wear your aligners all the time, with the exception of when you’re eating, drinking, or cleaning your teeth, as mentioned above. 

The Benefits Of Invisalign As An Adult

Invisalign is a far less bulky, far less noticeable, and involve a far easier process than traditional braces. It’s why so many people turn to Invisalign as an adult in order to achieve straight and beautiful teeth. There are many benefits to obtaining Invisalign as an adult, such as:

• They are just as effective as traditional braces.
• They can often give you the same results as traditional braces, but in a shorter time frame.
• They’re practically invisible – there’s a reason why they’re called Invisalign!
• They’re easy to take off when it’s time to eat or when you want to take pictures.

Are You Considering Getting Invisalign As An Adult?

As you can see, not only is it possible to get Invisalign as an adult, but it can be more than worth it, too. It’s important to note that if you remove your aligners too frequently, this can extend the length of your treatment, as they need to be on your teeth in order to do their job. However, worn properly and enough, Invisalign can indeed get you the straight teeth of your dreams as an adult.

Bailey Orthodontics offers Invisalign for teens and adults in order to help you get straight teeth. Are you considering getting Invisalign? Contact us today and let us see if it’s a good fit for you!

Most people don’t need braces until they are 7 years old or older, but there are cases which make two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary. This kind of orthodontic treatment is done in order to avoid more invasive procedures later on in life, which may not be able to treat issues with your child’s orthodontic health as easily. When is two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary? What is two-phase orthodontic treatment? Here’s what you need to know about this specialized type of treatment and when two-phase orthodontic treatment is necessary. 

What Is Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment?

In most cases, orthodontic problems only need one phase of treatment in order to be resolved. However, this isn’t always the case, which makes two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary in order to ensure that the problems are treated properly. It’s generally recommended that your child should see an orthodontist by 7 years old, in order to catch orthodontic problems early on, preventing them from becoming more serious, and making treatment easier, since the teeth are still developing. 

Two-phase orthodontic treatment refers to orthodontic treatments done in two stages. It’s meant to combine methods to straighten your teeth with changes to your face, in order to optimize your child’s ability to have healthy, functional, pretty teeth throughout their life. The earlier the better, in order to ensure lasting results, as part of when you’ll find two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary involves being able to take advantage of physical and dental growth with its two separate phases, so that the treatment gives the best results.

When Is Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment Necessary?

You’ll find two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary when your child has issues that can be best treated at different times. This typically happens when your child has a mix of their baby teeth and their permanent teeth. The first phase would be better done while the child has their baby teeth, while the second phase would be better done after they have their permanent teeth, so as not to interfere with how the permanent teeth erupt from the gums. 

Some signs you may find two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary for your child include:

• Protruding upper or lower teeth
• Losing baby teeth early
• Sucking their thumb after reaching 5 years old
• Teeth crowding at 7 or 8 years old
• Biting or chewing problems
• Your child’s teeth show signs of a crossbite or don’t come together properly

You’ll find two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary as an early interceptive treatment in order to mitigate the chances of a current orthodontic problem becoming much more severe as your child grows older. The goal of two-phase orthodontic treatment is to ensure that oral issues, like those listed above, can be treated at an early age, before they get the chance to exacerbate into something much more serious. Two-phase orthodontic treatment makes it so that rather than being left with serious orthodontic problems, your child can step into their teenage years with functional, healthy teeth.

How Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment Works

Part of what makes two-phase orthodontic treatment necessary is when your child has a mix of baby teeth and permanent teeth, which would make doing treatment in one phase either ineffective or not as effective, which would increase their chances of needing orthodontic treatment again later on in their life. Two-phase orthodontic treatment uses the developmental stages of growth to treat issues early on in your child’s life, preventing them from getting serious.

Phase 1

Phase one is usually done between the ages of 6 and 10, while your child still has baby teeth. The primary goal of this phase is to ensure that there’s enough room in your child’s mouth for their permanent teeth, treating issues with the jaw and the bite growth. 

Phase 1 treatments usually include:

• Headgear
• Specialized retainers
• Expansion appliances
• Functional appliances
• Space maintainers
• Limited phase of braces on selected teeth

Phase 2

After the completion of the first phase, your child’s teeth will be left alone to rest while their permanent teeth come in. During the resting period, your child will need to come in for regular check-ins, to observe how their teeth are erupting.

Phase 2 treatments are what most people think of when they think orthodontic treatment, as the purpose of the second phase is to align teeth and correct spacing. They can also help with underbites or overbites. This phase usually involves braces on the upper and lower teeth, along with retainers at the end of treatment, to ensure that the teeth stay in place. 

Bailey Orthodontics offer two-phase orthodontic treatment to ensure that your child’s teeth develop their best and to avoid further issues down the line. If you’re uncertain about whether or not two-phase orthodontic treatment is necessary for your child, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us today! We want everyone to have healthy, functional teeth and will advise you on the best options for you.