Reviewed by Dr. Benjamin Wright, board-certified orthodontist
Most adults who call us have been thinking about it for years. Something moved after the retainer got lost in college. A crowded lower front tooth got harder to floss. A crown was recommended and the dentist mentioned the bite first. Whatever brought you here, the honest answer is that adult treatment is routine now, and nobody in this office is going to find your question unusual.
What Is Different About Treating Adults?
The main difference is growth. A child’s jawbones are still developing, which lets an orthodontist guide them. Adult bones have finished, so we work with the jaw structure you have. In a small number of cases where the jaws themselves are misaligned, that makes orthognathic surgery part of the conversation, planned jointly with an oral surgeon.
A few other things come up more often in adults than in teenagers.
- Gum and bone health matters more. Adults are more likely to have gum recession or bone loss from gingivitis or periodontal disease, and any active gum problem needs to be under control before teeth start moving. Straighter teeth are easier to keep clean afterward, which is part of why treatment is worth doing.
- Worn and missing teeth change the plan. Teeth drift and tilt into a gap over the years, and that shifting creates a bad bite and makes restorative work harder. Orthodontics is often the step that has to come before a bridge or an implant, so that the tooth being replaced has somewhere proper to sit.
- Unfinished treatment is common. Plenty of adults wore braces as a teenager, stopped short, or stopped wearing the retainer. Finishing the job later is usually simpler than the original case was.
Your Options as an Adult
Every appliance we offer is available to adults. Metal braces remain the most predictable choice and are still what many adults pick, particularly when the case is complex. Clear braces use ceramic brackets that blend against the teeth and are far less visible in meetings and photographs.
Both metal and clear self-ligating braces use a small clip instead of elastic ties, which usually means fewer adjustment visits, which matters when you are taking time out of a working day.
Invisalign® clear aligners are removable, so nothing shows and nothing changes about eating or brushing. They suit many adult cases well. They also depend entirely on you wearing them close to 22 hours a day, and Dr. Wright will tell you honestly if your case needs the control that fixed braces give.
Fitting Treatment Into a Working Life
Adult treatment usually means an appointment every four to eight weeks. Our office is on Jumpers Hole Road with free parking, so a visit is a short errand rather than an afternoon. We run on time. If a bracket comes loose the day before a presentation, call us and we will fit you in.
Is It Worth It?
You will find no shortage of people online debating whether adult braces are worth the money and the year. Here is the practical case.
Aligned teeth are easier to clean, and easier cleaning means fewer of the gum problems and cavities that cost far more to fix later. A bite that distributes force evenly wears more slowly than one that does not. Crowded teeth left alone tend to get more crowded, not less, so waiting rarely improves the case or the price.
Then there is the reason most adults actually give when we ask. They are tired of not smiling properly in photographs. That is a good enough reason on its own, and we hear it every week.
What Adult Treatment Costs
Fees depend on the case, so Dr. Wright quotes yours after examining you. Payment plans are no-interest and arranged in house, starting at $125 a month, and we take HSA and FSA funds. Our cost, insurance, and financing page explains how adult orthodontic coverage typically works and what to check on your own plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adult Orthodontics
Is it worth getting braces as an adult?
For most people, yes. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean, an even bite wears more slowly, and crowding tends to worsen rather than settle. Treatment takes a year or two out of a life that is likely to run several more decades. The one honest caution is that adult treatment requires commitment to appointments and to retainers afterward.
Am I too old for braces?
No. Teeth respond to gentle pressure at any age, and we treat patients well into their sixties and beyond. What matters is the health of your gums and the bone supporting your teeth, not the number on your birth certificate. Dr. Wright will assess both at your consultation.
Does treatment take longer for adults than for teenagers?
Sometimes, and not always. Adult bone remodels a little more slowly, and adult cases are more likely to involve existing dental work that has to be planned around. Many straightforward adult cases finish in a comparable time to a teenager’s.
Will braces interfere with my job?
Very rarely. Clear brackets and clear aligners are discreet enough that most colleagues do not notice, and any effect on speech from aligners lasts a day or two at the start of each new set. Appointments are every four to eight weeks, and we schedule them to be kept.
I had braces as a teenager and my teeth moved back. Can that be fixed?
Yes, and it is one of the most common adult cases we see. Relapse after treatment usually means the retainer stopped being worn. A second round is often shorter and simpler than the first, and this time the retainer plan gets taken seriously.
Book a Complimentary Consultation
Call 410-544-0072 or request an appointment online. Wright Orthodontics is at 479 Jumpers Hole Road, Suite #203, Severna Park, MD 21146, and we treat adults from Severna Park, Millersville, Crownsville, Arnold, Severn, and Pasadena. We also serve Cape St. Claire.