At Serene Dental, we’ve gotten a lot of clients coming into us with tons of misconceptions regarding adult braces. Many of our patients assume that braces are things that only kids and teenagers wear. Some of them are adamant against getting them because of the social stigma that braces had in high school. In recent years, however, Florida orthodontic technology has advanced so greatly that braces today aren’t anything like they were twenty years ago. The American Association of Orthodontists has mentioned that one-fifth of all orthodontics patients are adults. Getting braces as an adult doesn’t have to be traumatic experience. The process has changed a lot in the years since you were a teenager. You might still have some concerns regarding adult braces, but hopefully, by the end of this discussion, you’ll be better informed about the facts behind getting braces as an adult.

1) Florida Orthodontic Braces Are an Eyesore

Hearkening back to the days of metal frames with wires and rubber bands, orthodontics used to be extremely noticeable. Today’s Florida orthodontic methods are a lot more subtle in how they show up. Braces are supposed to use brackets to help teeth to realign to their positions. WebMD states that new alignment technology use “invisible” plastic or acrylic inserts that help to align teeth throughout treatment. These can be removed when you have to eat and replaced afterward. Since they are clear, they don’t stand out as much as tons of wires and metal used to when you were a kid. There are even alignment tools that go on the inner face of your teeth as opposed to the outside, straightening your teeth covertly.

2) Adult Braces Can be Uncomfortable

Braces are a framework designed to guide your teeth in the way they should grow. As Healthline mentions, braces exert pressure on your teeth, moving them along the membrane above your gums to align them in the right way. That sure does sound uncomfortable. In the old days of teeth alignment, the apparatus you used to align your teeth put a lot more pressure on them than today’s methods. The modern world has brought the discomfort you get from alignment down to a minimum. Reduced tension and friction of you braces results in a far less uncomfortable process. These days, many of our adult clients mention that they sometimes forget they’re even wearing braces!

3) The Treatment Takes Years

While dental treatment could potentially last a long time, this particular myth is more of a half-truth. The amount of time you’ll have to spend wearing braces depends upon the amount of adjustment that you need. The more misaligned a patient’s teeth are, the longer they are likely to have to wear braces. However, modern methods for alignment are more exact and less based on guesswork than in the past. This increase in efficiency results in dentists working out the fastest possible way to align your teeth, provided you follow their advice. With the use of technology like digital imaging available, dentists can even develop long-term treatment plans to determine exactly how many months you may need to keep wearing your braces.

4) Braces Are Metal (And Look Scary)

One of the biggest misconceptions that patients have regarding braces is that they’re all made of metal. Not only that, but they look scary to install. Again, this stems from memories of high school, where friends with braces usually wore the metal ones because they were all that was available. Today’s braces are lightweight, effective, easy to install, and most definitely not all made of metal. As we mentioned above, plastic and acrylic braces come in almost-invisible varieties, making it impossible to figure out if you’re even wearing braces. There are even transparent options for those same metal braces you remember from your youth. Only this time, you can get the effectiveness without the scary metal look.

5) Straight Teeth is For Cosmetic Purposes

Sure, you look better with straight teeth, but that’s not the only reason you should straighten your teeth. Straight teeth are easier to maintain, as the standard toothbrushes are designed to work with standard alignment teeth. improves oral hygiene from keeping your teeth clean reduces the chance of developing gum disease later on in life. Gum disease by itself is linked to several other nasty diseases, so avoiding it is in your best interest. Crooked teeth can negatively affect your speech and lead to impediments. Finally, straightened teeth may alleviate headaches and pain from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

6) Getting Braces is Inconvenient

Teenagers in the eighties and nineties used to have several orthodontist appointments to install and align their braces. They would sometimes have to visit several times for hours for realignment and tightening. Stories like those led to many adults today thinking that they just don’t have the time for several-hour-long orthodontist appointments. Luckily, modern orthodontists don’t take hours to align your teeth. You’ll still have to visit the orthodontist a few times, but procedures are a lot less invasive than they were in the past. You won’t have to visit the dentist as much as the kids you knew as a teenager had to.

7) Orthodontists Aren’t Covered by Insurance

At one point in time, this was true. The Balance mentions that health coverage doesn’t usually cover Florida orthodontic procedures, but many insurance companies offer supplemental plans that will help offset the costs of braces and dental visits. In case you’re worried that your dental insurance will only cover the bare minimum and you’ll still get stuck with those scary metal braces, then you should put your mind at rest. If your insurance covers braces, then they cover all types of braces, including the invisible and acrylic ones we mentioned before. Depending on which insurer you’re with, you can ask them for a quote as to how much it would cost to tack on that supplemental coverage for your braces.

8) Braces Are Just for Kids

The number-one myth about Florida orthodontic treatment is that braces are only for kids. Many patients ask if they’re too old for braces, and we always need to reassure them that they aren’t. Everyday Health mentions that there’s no such thing as being too late for braces. As an adult, you’re in control of your health and taking the step to correct the alignment of your teeth is an important one. It leads to overall better health and is something that you should be proactive about. Don’t worry about your age. There are treatment methods that can be used for all ages. Modern orthodontics has made it so that anyone can straighten their teeth if they want to.

The Right Time is Now

A lot of our adult patients talk about how they thought about getting braces when they were kids, but they didn’t. The best time to fix that oversight is right now. Straight teeth are something that everyone should have, and modern conveniences have made it far less of a chore than it was in the past. At Serene Dental, we pride ourselves on helping our clients make the right decisions regarding their oral health. We believe that a healthy smile is essential to feeling good about yourself. Make an appointment with us today and experience for yourself our service with a smile.