Growing numbers of grown-ups are hoping to achieve the perfect smile and bite. And orthodontists help by offering appliances that are more discrete than metal braces.
Patients seeking orthodontic treatment are healthy, their dental health is good, and they want their teeth to last the rest of their lives.
It's not always easy. The mouth of an adult has finished growing. Teeth are more difficult to move and may require oral surgery in addition to braces.
More than 1.2 million adults in the U.S. received orthodontic treatment in 2012, the last year for which numbers are available. By contrast, about 4.65 million procedures were performed for patients age 17 and younger.
Before getting braces, adults must also make sure to clear up any gum and periodontal disease, or they will risk bone and soft tissue loss or tooth loss.
"Orthodontic treatment is only possible if the gums and the bone are healthy and stable," says Dr. Hera Kim-Berman, program director at the University of Michigan.
Treatment costs for adults range from $4,800 to $7,135, which is somewhat higher than treatments for adolescents, according to the American Dental Association.
