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Why is it important for adults to correct their bite?
24.08.2024 11:00
People of all ages dream of a beautiful, healthy smile.
And the correct bite is an integral part of this. Crooked teeth can be present in a person since childhood.
However, some teeth can shift in adulthood. For example, when wisdom teeth appear, or a person loses individual teeth. And many people are still convinced that braces are only for children.
And it is possible to correct an unsightly bite only in childhood. Is this really so, can mature people install braces, and will such treatment benefit them, the dentist, maxillofacial surgeon, Dmitry Konstantinovich Yudin told us.
Dentists often encounter the opinion that orthodontic treatment is only indicated in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood.
However, today in scientific literature and in practice, clinical cases of treatment with braces in patients over 60 and even after 70 years are increasingly encountered. Yes, these are rare cases. However, not only is treatment with braces not contraindicated for mature people, but it also has deep clinical meaning.
Malocclusion – a person’s “highlight” or serious harm to health
Adults understand the benefits of braces for children. However, when it comes to themselves, they treat malocclusion as an individual feature and are confident that it does not affect their health in any way.
In fact, an incorrect bite entails many problems: the tone of the chewing and facial muscles changes, which further reinforces the incorrect position of the teeth.
Due to malocclusion, the oval of the face changes over time, it becomes asymmetrical, and a "double" chin appears. In addition, the incorrect position of the teeth affects the clarity and correctness of speech.
When a patient reaches middle age, he often requires serious, global interventions in the maxillofacial area and his dental status. By this time, the vast majority of patients have missing teeth, problems with the temporomandibular joint, and some teeth require restorative treatment.
In order to carry out this rehabilitation perfectly, without compromises that could ultimately affect the oral health, treatment with braces is often the beginning of a global work with the patient's teeth.
This is due to the fact that as the teeth were destroyed, lost, the adjacent, healthy teeth shifted, tilted, and took an incorrect position. As a result, the entire dental row changed. And, of course, this has a serious impact on the temporomandibular joint.
If there is a joint disease, then there is a high probability that the crowns and veneers will not hold, and after their installation, acute pain will appear in the joint itself.
That is why, in order for future structures to serve the patient for life and to avoid problems with the temporomandibular joint, braces are often prescribed to patients during the treatment planning process.
The use of braces in adults is an important, sometimes uncontested, treatment measure to ensure that the result pleases both the patient and the doctor for many years.
Common Misconceptions About Braces in Older Adults
Adult patients, when offered treatment with braces, often doubt and say that it will take many years to correct. Yes, indeed, in adulthood, braces will have to be worn a little longer than in childhood or adolescence. On average, it will take 2-3 years, and you can enjoy a healthy and beautiful smile for several decades.
Some patients worry that braces on adults' teeth look ridiculous and put other people's opinions above their own health. Today, orthopedics in dentistry has made great strides.
And there are modern braces that are noticeable to others only if you look closely: lingual (attached to the dental row from the inside) or transparent. And remember that people around you are more concerned about their own teeth than others.
While some patients are scared by the opinions of others, others are scared by the complex care of the braces system. Yes, there will indeed be new actions in daily oral care, but this will not be difficult. You just need to form a few new habits, and adult patients will definitely find this easier than children.
Remember that everything in our body is interconnected. And the health of the entire body depends on the condition of the oral cavity. Never put the prejudices and opinions of others above caring for yourself.
Treatment with braces can solve many health problems in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Don't put it off. And be healthy!
