In general, there is no age limit for which you can get braces. If you need braces, speak to your orthodontist near me for an assessment. Some children need them to help their adult teeth grow in, and some adults need them to correct bite issues.
Many individuals later in life oftentimes wonder if it is too late for them to be able to get orthodontic treatment such as braces. This can be a common question because most people often see that braces are typically utilized by the young and youthful. There are also many times where braces may be a perfectly valid treatment for individuals later in life. Ultimately like most things medical, it will come down to the recommendation from your dentist and orthodontist. Talking with them about the issues you have can help give greater clarity as to whether you will be an ideal candidate for braces or not.
It may also help to know what do the experts have to say on this topic?
Adults may be deterred from starting orthodontic treatment by background factors like age, sex, and socioeconomic status (Kim Y. 2017). But they shouldn’t let these issues deter them. There are many options that can give patients the corrective ability they need, and do so almost invisibly. Braces made from ceramic brackets or clear aligners like Invisalign are ideal for adults because they are nearly invisible.
Middle-aged and elderly patients are more likely to have very different periodontal issues, and bone turnover rates than younger people (Kim Y. 2017). This doesn’t mean that you should put off treatment, however. You should just keep in mind that your teeth may be more likely to drift once you get your braces off, so wearing retainers will be very important.
The increase in the mean life expectancy and income has contributed to growing numbers of middle-aged or older adult patients who require orthodontic treatment (Kim Y. 2017) and who are getting orthodontic care.
Best age for braces
As you can see, although some older adults are hesitant to get braces and there may be periodontal issues that prevent someone from receiving orthodontic treatment – things like bone weakness or lack of jaw strength, the fact of the matter is that with people living longer, the importance of getting braces and orthodontic treatment is actually increasing and not decreasing.
There are a ton of questions that older individuals ask when it comes to braces such as is there a braces age limit? What is the best age for braces? Is there an actual best age to get braces? What age can you get braces the first time? What age can kids get braces? Is there an upper age limit for braces for teeth? And when dealing with age for braces, what are some of the issues that we need to look out for?
Age limit for braces for teeth
There’s actually no true upper age limit. Age, however, can bring on several factors that may become contributors to making you a bad candidate to get braces. Many elderly individuals often get brittle or weak bones or do not have as much calcium and can even have porous jaws or mandible bones. This can make them bad candidates for getting braces as braces do put strain on the bone and the muscles in the mouth to help correct orthodontic problems.
For some elderly individuals, their bones simply cannot handle the stress or the strain of having orthodontics installed. It could also be the case that weak teeth or weakened roots also make an individual a bad candidate. However, this is all very individualistic and in no way means that every elderly individual should automatically write off the idea of getting orthodontics. The truth of the matter is that there are many older individuals who have enough jaw strength, muscle strength, bone strength, and teeth strength to be able to have braces installed and benefit from orthodontic correction.
Age for braces
Now this brings us to the best age for getting braces. Although there is nothing specifically age prohibitive about individuals getting their orthodontic treatment at any stage of life, the facts are quite clear when it comes to the best age to get orthodontics and that is between the ages of 7 and 11.
When adult teeth begin to come in is a perfect time to get orthodontic work done. Not only are the teeth and the jaws still growing and developing but it makes it far faster and easier for children. They often take to these types of treatments more readily and finish them faster than individuals trying to make the adjustments later in life. This is another reason why it’s important to make sure that you check your children’s dental issues regularly as the sooner any potential issues are found, the sooner they can be fixed. Issues that are fixed quickly are issues that are often fixed cheaply compared to those that are left to sit for years or decades.
What age can you get braces
Fixing and straightening teeth is simply easier to do on a 10-year-old than it is on a 50-year-old. There are fewer concerns or potential risk factors involved for those who do it younger and it can also improve their oral health over their lifetime. Just like with adults, though, it is important to make sure that you talk to your orthodontic office and you get a professional opinion as that is required for getting orthodontics at any age.
Although the risk factors may be lower for children in general, there are always outliers who can have unique issues and that’s why it’s important to make sure that every issue is addressed when it comes to your orthodontic needs. This is true whether you’re an older individual or younger person. It is always best discussed with an expert about your needs personally. Having a physician go over everything will make a huge difference in your oral health. The fact is that you cannot judge how successful a treatment will be for you or your age based off of anything you might think. Medicine is individualized and as such it requires individuals meeting with their orthodontist and dentist to determine what will be in their best interest to protect their oral health now and into the future.
Reference:
Kim Y. (2017). Study on the Perception of Orthodontic Treatment According to Age: A Questionnaire Survey. Korean Journal of Orthodontics, 47(4), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.4041/kjod.2017.47.4.215
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Call us at (786) 540-1919 to schedule a free orthodontic exam.
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