How long do you have to wear braces before you’ll see results? Read on to find out the average time for braces to do their job.
So you thought the nightmare of puberty was long behind you, only to discover you’re an adult considering braces. The theme song for the 2001 animated comedy TV show Brace face blares in your head as you think, No, no. This cannot be happening.
We get it. While braces are usually tied to the awkward teenage years, wearing adult braces is becoming more common.
Even though dental braces for adults are normalizing and you can easily drop by this Cosmetic Dentist in Natomas for it, prospective braces-wearing people need to know: How long do you have to wear braces for them to work?
We’ve got the answers to help you embrace your braces-wearing phase.
Dental Braces For Adults
Even though braces offer similar benefits for adults as they do kids, there are a few reasons that can make adult braces even more effective:
- It’s your choice, making you more likely to care for them
- You know that braces are a short-term investment for long-term wellness
- You know that oral health and optimum health are directly connected
Overall, adults can better conceptualize braces. Beyond rotating rubber band colors and smiling straighter, dental braces for adults is an intentional and conscious decision towards greater health.
But, How Long Do You Have To Wear Braces?
While we’d like to give you a concrete answer, the truth is it depends. The following things will dictate one’s average time for braces:
- Your age: No, you’re not too old, but kids have the benefit of impressionable mouths and jawlines, which makes braces during youth advantageous. It takes braces longer for adults in general to restructure these developed bone structures.
- The type of braces you choose: There are metal, ceramic, clear and lingual options.
- The complexity of your issue: Do you have a specific tooth concern or require greater realignment?
- Your compliance with the braces process: This includes while you have best braces colors as well as the after-care protocol.
Ultimately, how long braces take depends on your teeth and your intention for them. The shortest time for braces may be a few months for people with small and specific issues, like a crooked tooth. For those with larger concerns, the answer to how long you need braces may be closer to three years.
Knowing the why behind your braces will ultimately determine the length of your process.
Long-Term Braces Benefits
It’s not news that oral health and longevity are directly connected. While flossing has boomed in popularity upon this discovery, braces are following suit. Through their prevention of gum disease, jaw pain, tooth decay, cavities, and bone erosion, it makes sense that adults have braces on their radar.
With adulthood comes a deeper understanding of body functioning with a deepened appreciation for it. Knowing that oral health impacts nerve and bone health is more than enough motivation to preserve your teeth with braces.
Embrace Your Braces
Whether for cosmetic or urgent reasons, wearing braces does far more than straighten your smile.
While it makes perfect sense that the question, How long do you have to wear braces? is at the forefront of your mind, here’s the honest, two-part answer: it takes as long as it takes and ultimately, you decide.
The hope is that wearing braces is not a “have to,” but rather a “want to.” With diverse options, today, wearing braces as an adult is an easy and empowering process. s
For more on health, check out our other posts! Your straighter smile awaits you.