- Is it too late to straighten my teeth?
- Is it embarrassing to wear braces?
- What are my options for braces as an adult?
These are questions you might be asking yourself if you are considering braces as an adult. At the Center for Beautiful Smiles we have many adult patients from Chula Vista and Bonita who have braces.
Braces for adults used to be rare, but today this is rapidly changing. In 2010 adults accounted for 22% of patients with braces. Whether to improve the cosmetic aspects of their smiles or to fix a misaligned bite, braces treatments for adults has jumped nearly 60% in the past 10 years! As adults discover they can fix the dental imperfections that weren’t fixed when they were children, the popularity of braces for adults will continue to grow. If you are thinking about braces, you are not alone!
One reason for this upward trend may be how easy it is to wear braces today compared to the past. Brace-wearers of the past were literally stuck with a mouth full of metal for two years. Today brace-wearers can choose from a variety of comfortable and minimally visible options. Options such as:
- Invisalign braces: Customized to fit over your teeth, these clear aligners can be removed for eating and sleeping. Their most cited benefit is that other people can barely tell you are wearing braces.
- 6-Month Powerprox braces: These have clear brackets and a strong memory wire that can correct crowded or crooked teeth in just 6 months!
- Ceramic braces: These are like traditional braces but have tooth colored brackets instead of metals ones. This makes them much less noticeable.
- Traditional braces: Still the fastest way to get the job done, even these old-style braces are much smaller and less visible than a generation ago.
Many adults worry about feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about wearing braces. Braces today are so much less visible than they used to be — we are sure that once you get past the initial adjustment of wearing them you will hardly notice you have them. And if today you are considering having braces, there is no doubt something you’d like to see change about your smile. If you could choose between the relative inconvenience of wearing braces for a short period, or having a smile you feel good about for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
In any case, Dr. Pham is here to help you understand your options and choose the best plan of treatment for your particular smile. Call us today and make an appointment for a free braces consultation (619 421 2155), or use our online appointment scheduler. And if you are new to our office or looking for a new dentist, be sure and check out our excellent reviews and testimonials from our patients!
