Adult Orthodontics
Adult Orthodontics
At Clínica Pronova we offer you a variety of personalized aesthetic orthodontic solutions in Mallorca.
We perfect your smile to make it shine. Enjoying a perfect smile is possible with the orthodontic treatment that best suits your oral health. Society is becoming more and more demanding, and our social relationships are conditioned by many factors, including our appearance. A healthy and natural smile is one of the main points that help us to maintain our security in our daily life and take care of our quality of life. But many people do not have that security. The imperfections present in the smile can cause us insecurity, and can affect our self-esteem or our relationship with others. Similarly, any alteration in the jaw can affect our own breathing.
Real clinical cases
Before and after treatment
A 51-year-old patient comes to our center with aged, dark teeth and dental malposition with tooth crowding. The patient requests to improve the appearance of his smile, so we propose an orthodontic treatment with invisalign to correct the position of his teeth, teeth whitening to gain luminosity and porcelain dental veneers. The treatment lasted 6 months and 9 appointments were necessary.
What is orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the specialty of dentistry that deals with the correction of malpositions or deviations of teeth and jaw deformities. Orthodontics solves dental problems such as crossbite, open or deep bite, crowded or separated teeth, among others.
When is orthodontics necessary?
We all know how important it is to have a healthy and strong smile. It is an essential part of vital habits such as eating, speaking or even breathing. But when there are discomforts or difficulties in some of these vital acts, there may be other problems in people, beyond facial aesthetics. Some of these include teeth that have not fully developed, overgrown teeth that have developed malposition, or tooth wear. For example, there are cases of dental malposition that can cause difficulties in maintaining dental hygiene, favoring the appearance of caries.
There is also a need for orthodontics as a preliminary to other restorative treatment – such as dental veneers or implants – to align teeth. It is true that the problems covered by orthodontics are usually contemplated more in children, since early treatment makes it possible to correct problems in time and ensure that children grow up with a harmonious smile, guaranteeing aligned teeth in adulthood. Esthetics is the most frequent reason why an adult goes for orthodontic treatment.
Adults believe that orthodontics is necessary when their dental position does not correspond to that of a harmonious smile. However, it may happen that, beyond esthetics, there are other problems with your teeth that could affect your overall well-being, such as malocclusions, which were unknown, but should be corrected. However, the best person to tell us when orthodontic treatment is necessary is always a professional orthodontist. It is advisable to have an orthodontist with extensive experience in dentistry, and who has the latest technology to achieve optimal treatment.
What can happen if my teeth are not aligned?
An unaligned dentition can initially cause discomfort when chewing and even when speaking. This in the long term can generate problems in the masticatory system – our jaw – and in the nervous system. But, in addition, a number of other problems can arise:
- An alteration in the jaw can make habits such as breathing difficult.
- Lack of tooth development can cause dental crowding.
- Alteration of facial bone growth, such as mandibular prognathism.
- Dental malposition can generate muscle contractures, or muscle tension in areas such as the back and neck. It may also result in vertigo or tinnitus.
- Headaches, migraines, and even dental headaches may occur.
- Stress can cause even greater muscle tension, and aggravate existing jaw disorders.
What are the benefits of orthodontics?
Orthodontics, as a main benefit, corrects the position of the upper and lower teeth. This, in the first place, allows habits such as chewing and speaking to develop normally. Having a correct functionality of the teeth and a good bite technique will avoid problems and malformations in our jaw.
In the same way, it will prevent dental wear, since our teeth will share the force when chewing. This will extend the life of our teeth for much longer, and chewing will not lead to further stomach or intestinal problems. Correct positioning makes tooth brushing more effective, which promotes oral hygiene. In the same way, the correct alignment of the teeth brings a healthy and harmonious appearance to our smile, which benefits our esthetics and also our self-esteem.
That is why orthodontics has become an ideal solution not only for children, but also for adults and the elderly. The existence of materials and practices that conceal orthodontic treatment encourages more and more people to resort to orthodontics to achieve all these benefits for their smile.
What is adult orthodontic treatment like?
If we want to request orthodontics, or we believe we have a problem that requires treatment, going to our dentist for regular check-ups is essential to take care of our oral health. Our dentist will be in charge of making a diagnosis and referring us to an orthodontist if required.
What differentiates an experienced dentist from an inexperienced one?
A more experienced specialist knows that the diagnosis should not only focus on the teeth, but also on the shape of the patient’s face. An experienced orthodontist will perform a facial analysis.
The orthodontist proceeds to perform complementary tests – such as x-rays, facial and intraoral photographs, and more – to complete the diagnosis and find the appropriate solution.
How long does orthodontic treatment usually last?
The average orthodontic treatment time is between 18 and 24 months. However, this always depends on the case of each patient, it may vary depending on the patient’s biology and collaboration. An experienced orthodontist will know how to customize the best treatment for your case.
Is only treatment by an orthodontist required?
In some cases, the orthodontist may consider collaboration with specialists from other branches of dentistry (such as periodontists, endodontists, prosthodontists, etc.). This is because, in certain cases, a global strategy must be planned to solve all the problems presented by the patient. The objective is to provide the best solution for your health.
Occasionally, extraction of one or more teeth may also be necessary to achieve correct alignment. For example, the extraction of wisdom teeth, although it may well be other teeth, such as premolars. Everything will always be determined after the study and diagnosis of the dentists.
What types of adult orthodontics are there?
At Clínica Pronova, we have the best orthodontic treatments, especially those that have less impact on the aesthetics of patients. This allows people to carry out their treatment normally and does not affect their social relationships. Of course, which treatment will be best for each patient is a decision that is left to the best orthodontic specialists.
These are the different types of devices:
- Removable or fixed orthodontics
- Lingual Orthodontics
- Invisible orthodontics
- Aesthetic braces
- Damon Braces
- Sapphire brackets
Do you know if you really need orthodontics? Do you know the different types of braces and which one would suit you best?
Find the answers to your questions about cosmetic orthodontics in this guide and learn how wearing braces can benefit you.
The professionals at Clínica Pronova offer you the different techniques applied in esthetic orthodontics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dentists rely on the multiple solutions offered by orthodontics. If you want to know what they recommend, dentists can offer a number of orthodontic tips.
It depends on the case of each patient, and if so decided by the dentist. That is why you should have an experienced orthodontist who knows what solution is best for your case.
For braces to be a successful treatment, it is essential that you practice good oral hygiene as well as good appliance hygiene.
There is a wide range of metal brackets, which can be either conventional or self-ligating. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
This treatment of invisible sleeves or aligners is one of the most demanded in aesthetic orthodontics. But for it to be a successful treatment, the patient must be committed to performing his or her care correctly.
Also called self-ligating brackets, Damon Braces offer several benefits that make them an ideal alternative to traditional braces.
