Adult Treatment
High-Quality Orthodontic Treatment In Dothan & Enterprise, AL
When many people think of braces, the likely image of a patient that will spring to mind is a teenager. Most patients who undergo orthodontic treatment are in their adolescence. Unfortunately, though, many adults have twisted this fact into a belief that orthodontic treatment isn't something that's a reasonable option for those of their age. As your leading orthodontist and orthodontic team in Dothan and Enterprise, AL, we at McClimans Orthodontics aim to change this belief! A patient is never too old for adult treatment and we'd like to share with you some of the benefits that orthodontic treatment can provide for an older patient.
Benefits of Adult Treatment
There are many reasons why you may want to visit your orthodontist to undergo orthodontic treatment. Here are just a few of the more popular reasons:
- Adult orthodontic treatment can give you a more beautiful-looking smile and improve your attractiveness.
- As orthodontic treatment can straighten crooked teeth and fix bad bites, it will lead to a healthier mouth as well.
- Having a straighter and healthier smile generally also leads to improved overall health.
- It may even serve as a boost to your self-esteem.
Our Treatment Options
At McClimans Orthodontics, we offer a wide range of orthodontic treatment options so that our patients will always have a treatment that suits them perfectly. Some of these options are as follows.
- Metal Braces: This is the standard form of orthodontic treatment that you're probably most familiar with. With this treatment, you'll have small metal brackets bonded to the front of each of your teeth. A thin archwire will run through all of the brackets and is attached on either end to metal bands that will go around one of your back molars. The archwire will gently tug on the brackets, gradually pulling your teeth into proper alignment.
- Clear Braces: Clear braces are similar to metal braces, but with one noticeable - or unnoticeable - difference! The brackets on these braces are made of ceramic, plastic, or a combination of both, allowing for a much more discreet orthodontic treatment. With the exception of the archwire that runs through the brackets, these braces are hardly visible. While they offer a more discreet treatment, the ceramic brackets are more susceptible to breakage than the brackets of metal braces.
- Invisalign: Unlike braces that utilize wires and brackets to shift a patient's teeth, Invisalign uses clear, plastic aligners to straighten a smile. You'll be given a series of these removable aligners that are each meant to be worn in a designated order for about two weeks apiece. As you go through each of the Invisalign aligners, your teeth will gradually move toward their intended position. As the name ‘Invisalign' hints at, these aligners are virtually invisible - others won't even realize that you're wearing them!
- Lingual Braces: Lingual braces work in a similar way to metal braces, though instead of the brackets being placed on the front of your teeth, they'll be bonded to the back of your teeth. This will make it so others won't be able to notice them at all. On the negative side, these braces can be harder to get used to, more expensive than metal braces, and not as suitable for more complicated orthodontic problems.
During and After Treatment
During your orthodontic treatment, it's not uncommon for there to be some minor soreness, especially right after the braces are placed or adjusted. To relieve this aggravation, we recommend rinsing with a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of salt mixed in. Also, you can place a heating pad or a warm washcloth on the affected area for some relief. If the pain happens to be severe, please contact your orthodontist as soon as possible.
After your orthodontic treatment is finished (whichever you may choose), you'll need to wear a retainer afterward. While the goal of the orthodontic treatment is to move your teeth into proper alignment, your retainer will help maintain these new positions. The retainer will keep the teeth in their new positions while allowing the supporting bone to develop around them and hold them in place. You'll want to wear your retainer as instructed so that all the hard work and effort you put into your treatment doesn't go to waste.
Visit Your Dothan and Enterprise, AL Orthodontist!
If you're interested in any of our adult orthodontic treatment options, such as metal braces or Invisalign, we hope you'll stop by and visit us sometime! You can schedule an appointment with us by filling out our online appointment request form or by giving us a call at one of our two convenient locations. Our Dothan office phone number is (334) 678-0096 and our Enterprise office phone number is (334) 308-9220. We look forward to seeing you!