With developments in orthodontics in recent years, more and more adults are seeking treatment for oral difficulties they’ve been experiencing since childhood. There are significant differences between adult orthodontics and that of children and teens, however, it’s worth knowing what they are before making a decision to pursue treatment. Here are the key differences between orthodontics for adults and for younger patients:

Age-Related Considerations

Adult patients often have conditions younger patients don’t often suffer from, such as insufficient bone between the roots for adequate blood supply, mild gingivitis infections and marginal bone loss. The bones are also harder and no longer growing, and the aging of tissue often causes them to take longer to adjust to your teeth’s new positions. These are known as biomechanical limitations, which can make tooth realignment a more involved process in adults than in younger patients.

Bite Correction Concerns

One of the primary reasons patients require orthodontic treatment is to correct a malocclusion, or improper bite. In an adult patient with a deep overbite, there is often not enough room in the mouth to create space for the teeth to move back without extracting one or more teeth. By adulthood, a patient might also have worn some of his teeth down, which can make the overbite worse. We are solving these problems as perio-restorative issues, and typically focus on making the adult patient’s bite functional rather than perfect.

Tooth Extraction Issues

Many adults have had one or more teeth extracted in the past, and this can present a problem for the dentists. Old extraction sites may not be suitable locations for teeth to move into, unless these are restored by adding sections of prosthetic bone to the area. Closing gaps between the teeth caused by extractions – and keeping them closed – is also difficult, because adult bone doesn’t respond to pressure in the same way as growing bone.