Adult Orthodontics---An Insight
A few decades ago, Orthodontic treatment was not frequently undertaken for adult patients but the number of adult patients nowadays receiving Orthodontic treatment is increasing day by day. Most of the adults (18-40 years)who have not received Orthodontic treatment as children or young adults due to financial restrictions or lack of awareness, now want to seek orthodontic treatment as they have become financially independent and are more aware of their looks. Their main goal is to correct their malocclusion, their smile, appearance & their quality of life. Adult orthodontics demand additional skills to bring out the best possible outcome in most of the cases as most adults in both the younger & older groups fairly understand what they want as outcome of the treatment. Although buccal fixed metallic braces are efficient treatment systems, these motivated adult patients have some concerns about the appearance of conventional orthodontic braces. The demand for an invisible orthodontic treatment comes from adults who are concerned about the reaction of others to obvious orthodontic treatment either due to peer pressure, demands of their working atmosphere & other constrains. Nowadays, there are 3 main options for adults to undergo orthodontic treatment:1.Ceramic braces—These are brackets made of tooth colored material placed on the outer side of teeth. They do mask the metallic smile of course, but these are not totally invisible.2.Lingual Orthodontics—These braces are placed on the inner side of teeth ,so these are not visible at all but patient need more adjustment time in them due to the close proximity of tongue. These are more technically difficult for the orthodontist to use efficiently & orthodontists do need to have special training to master this technique with a long & steep learning curve.3.Clear aligners--- These are transparent appliances which are snapped over teeth for treatment. These appliances are efficient & effective for non-extraction treatment with mild to moderate malocclusions but still have a long way to go before they can be successfully used to treat difficult malocclusion cases. Further developments in technique & technology may overcome these limitations.Summarizing , it can be said that treatment options are numerous. Depending upon the patient’s expectations as well as the financial aspect & complications of the case ,your orthodontist will suggest you the treatment mode best suited for you. However , its absolutely necessary that patient realizes that the skill & competence of a trained & certified orthodontist is the most important factor in the success of the treatment. Keep Smiling.