braces

No doubt, braces improve tooth alignment and bite health for both teens and adults, but each age group experiences unique advantages and difficulties. Here’s an overview.

Benefits for Teens. The main concern for teens is to establish lifelong health benefits from the very beginning. Here’s how the experience mostly translates for teens.

• Faster movement: Growing jawbones help teeth shift into place more quickly.
• Peer norm: Many classmates and friends wear braces at the same time.
• Lifelong health: Fixing alignment early prevents severe dental issues in adulthood.

Challenges for Teens. Just being a teen can be an anxiety-ridden time! But with today’s technology, braces are easier to wear and more acceptable among peers than ever before!

• Self-esteem: Some teens feel shy or insecure about how metal braces look.
• Food limits: Sticky candy, popcorn, and hard snacks are out of the diet for a while.
• Hygiene care: Brushing and flossing around brackets requires extra daily effort.
• Compliance: The more conscientious the teen, the better and faster the results. Forgetting to wear rubber bands or headgear delays the removal date.

Benefits for Adults. Oral health and setting the stage for career success are key reasons for adult braces.

• Better confidence: A straight smile improves self-image in the workplace and social settings.
• Oral health: Correcting crowded teeth makes cleaning easier and lowers gum disease risks. And as we get older, our teeth can stay healthier.
• Discreet choices: Clear aligners and even tooth-colored brackets offer subtle treatment options, creating a more acceptable timeframe for treatment.

Challenges for Adults. As we age, progress may take a little longer. Luckily, most adults have more patience!

• Slower healing: Adult jawbone is denser, which makes tooth movement slower.
• Longer treatment: Adults often need to wear braces for more months than teens do.
• Professional comfort: Wearing visible braces can feel awkward during business meetings or client interactions.

Current Professional Standards. Technology and orthodontic skill development allow for more options in orthodontic treatment – whether you are an adult or teen. Clear aligners provide a virtually invisible, removable option, while traditional metal braces use bonded brackets and wires for continuous, fixed pressure. Both effectively straighten teeth, but they fit different needs and lifestyles.

Clear Aligners, including Invisalign are nearly invisible to the eye. While clear aligners are removable, adhering to the wear time of 22 hours per day may hasten treatment. Consistency of treatment is an important factor for many teens. And since aligners are removable, there are few, if any, food restrictions.

Traditional Metal Braces are more noticeable. They are fixed to the teeth and remain so throughout treatment. In this case the patient should avoid sticky, hard or very chewy foods.

The Americam Association of Orthodontists (AAO), includes a great article on aligner treatment. Check out the technical details. You can also review a detailed breakdown of Braces vs Aligners on their site.

There are also a couple of great references on our site that you might want to read.

1. FAQs on Invisalign. We answer your questions about Invisalign – from how the system works, to the benefits, to how often people choose Invisalign treatment.
2. What is it like to live with braces? We answer your questions and put your mind at ease.

Finally remember that we are happy to schedule a consultation with you at no cost! Talking to someone about the best treatment for you often takes the mystery and fear out of the procedure. Please give us a call!

A 20-year-old male with complex dental concerns needed braces but was anxious from the start and worried about the outcome. He had been told he would need orthognathic (jaw) surgery.

Patient. Joseph is a young adult male who had impacted canine teeth, a posterior cross bite and an under bite. He knew braces would improve his appearance and his health, but he worried about the process and whether or he’d get the results he wanted without jaw surgery.

Problem. Joe’s narrow top jaw left his canine teeth impacted. Besides needing braces to align the teeth, Joe needed an arch expander to allow the teeth to come in and to help with proper alignment. Other orthodontists had previously told Joe that he was too old for an expander.

Solution. The doctors at Baltimore Orthodontic Group agreed that the first step of Joe’s treatment should be the expansion of his top jaw. A quad helix expander was used to provide more room for Joe’s teeth to align properly and correct his posterior crossbite. A full upper and lower innovation bracket system was then used to align his teeth and make more room for the impacted canines. Joseph was referred to an oral surgeon to help expose his impacted canine teeth. The doctors at Baltimore Orthodontic Group were then able to tether the teeth to bring them into proper position.

Process. Joseph originally started working with Baltimore Orthodontic Group in December of 2021. His braces were removed in July of 2024. Joseph’s teeth alignment was a more complex case. Knowing this, it was important for Joe to feel comfortable with the group performing orthodontic care and to have the trust in his doctors.

Result. Joseph’s smile, alignment and appearance improved significantly. Joe considered the end result very successful. According to Joseph,

“I was very nervous going into treatment as an adult, especially since my case included the need for an oral surgeon. Throughout my entire treatment, Dr. Kyser and his team were so encouraging. That encouragement helped convince me that I would have the best result. The entire Baltimore Orthodontic Group has been great and I am very happy with how my smile turned out. Really, it was difficult to envision the final outcome while going through treatment, but I am so happy in the end that I decided to trust the process and the people and stick with it all!"