Is Adult Orthodontics Worth the Time & Money? Consider These Benefits
For many of us, orthodontics with braces or Invisalign® is something that brings to mind an adolescent rite of passage. It is just one of many aspects of growing up. But if you are one of the many adults who never had metal braces or any other orthodontic treatment, or have found yourself in need of re-treatment, you may be wondering if it’s time to reconsider this notion.
Premier Dental & Implant Center in Orland Park, IL, is a dental practice that helps adults and adolescents achieve healthier and better-looking smiles through orthodontic treatment. If you’re wondering if adult orthodontics worth the time and money, consider these benefits.
A Better-Looking Smile Is Priceless
Let’s dive into the most obvious benefit first.
You may be in excellent oral health, but if you have crooked teeth that are crowded or otherwide misaligned, it can easily cause your smile to give the wrong impression. As much as we’d love to live in a world where nobody judges others by their appearance, the truth is that your smile is one of the very first things people notice about you. Having an attractive smile that projects an image of health and charisma can give you an edge in job interviews, in the dating world, and virtually all other aspects of adult life.
If you have any concerns about your appearance, your smile should be one of the first features you consider. In many cases, choosing to straighten misaligned teeth with braces can achieve beautiful harmony between all of your facial features.
Discreet Alternatives to Metal Braces Are Available
You may be thinking, “Sure, I’d love to fix my crooked smile through orthodontics, but I don’t want to go around wearing bulky metal braces for months on end.”
Well, I’ve got good news for you.
In all likelihood, you are a candidate for Invisalign, which uses comfortable and clear plastic trays to straighten crooked teeth, You can remove the Invisalign aligners when eating, brushing, or flossing. When you are wearing the Invisalign trays, no one around you will notice.
Even if your case requires traditional braces, my Orland Park dental care office can provide ceramic braces. Ceramic braces are tooth-colored and far less noticeable than metal hardware.
Whatever your needs, my team has you covered, and we are going to help make your orthodontic journey to a straightened smile as easy and discreetly as we possibly can.
Adult Orthodontics Can Improve Your Oral Hygiene
Okay, so this is a benefit that probably would have made you roll your eyes when you were a teenager (and it might still), but take it from me—dental health matters!
The fact is that crowded teeth are hard to clean, making your smile more prone to tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. And it may surprise you to learn that people with gum disease are two to three times more likely to suffer a heart attack.
Why not get ahead of this by making your oral hygiene easier to maintain?
Also, how fun do you find flossing before bed instead of getting two more minutes to binge your favorite shows? You might as well make that incredible sacrifice. That's time well spent eradicating all the plaque that could result in tooth decay and other dental health problems down the road.
You Could Save Yourself Time and Money
Yes, you read that headline correctly—investing months of your time along with your hard-earned cash into orthodontic treatment today could save you time and money down the road. This is primarily due to the aforementioned health benefits of a properly aligned smile.
After undergoing orthodontic treatment, your teeth will be a breeze to brush and floss, which can significantly reduce your risk of developing cavities and other oral health issues.
Spend less time and money on treating root canal infections or getting fillings, crowns, and other restorative work. Your beautifully aligned smile may need nothing more than routine six-month cleanings and checkups.
And since gum disease can increase your risk of heart disease, cancer, pneumonia, and other serious health conditions, a little time and money spent right now could improve your quality of life later on. In other words, you can spend more time enjoying your life instead of sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.
It’s Easy to Budget for Adult Orthodontics
If I may hearken back to childhood and adolescence again for a moment, it’s likely that you remember either your parents or your friends’ parents complaining about the cost of orthodontic care.
Well, it’s time to understand these two important points:
- Technology and other factors have made orthodontics more affordable than in years past, and
- Modern orthodontic treatment can be paid over the course of treatment rather than upfront
Manufacturing technology has come a long way since you were young, which has resulted in many products—including orthodontic hardware—becoming more affordable.
To give an extreme example, traditional braces could cost as much as $2,000 in the 1960s. Adjusted for inflation, that’s about $20,000. Today, the average cost of orthodontic treatment (including the price of clear aligners) is about $6,000.
Adult Orthodontics Is Often Covered by Insurance or Financing
Related to the above point, many insurance providers will contribute to the cost of adult orthodontics. If your provider won’t contribute to the cost of your treatment, you could finance your treatment through CareCredit®, a third-party lender offering low-interest and interest-free payment plans, depending on your credit score.
Our staff will be glad to help you explore this convenient financing option and determine if it’s the best way to budget for clear aligners or another orthodontic solution.
Learn if Adult Orthodontic Treatment Is Right for You
One more very important factor in deciding whether orthodontics is worth the time and money is your candidacy. The only sure way to know if orthodontics is right for you is to talk to an orthodontist who can assess the state of your smile and determine if your goals are achievable through traditional orthodontics or Invisalign aligners.
My dental team in Orland Park is passionate about helping people achieve better oral health and elevated confidence through expertly planned orthodontics treatment.
Interested in Adult Orthodontics?
My Orland Park Dental Care Team Is Here Help
We invite you to get in touch with my practice today to request your adult orthodontics consultation. I personally look forward to helping you determine if clear aligners or another type of orthodontics is right for you.
About Yamen Akhras, DDS
Dr. Yamen Akhras completed training in dental implants from the Misch Institute and the Urban Regeneration Institute. He specializes in treating gum disease, placing implants, and bone and gum grafting.
Read Dr. Akhras's Full Bio | All Posts by Dr. Akhras
