Posted by whybraces

The common thought is that braces need to be done when a person is a teenager, and if they wait too long, it might be too late to for orthodontics. The reality, though, is that braces can be done at any age. Obviously, putting them in a mouth that is too young is risky as nobody is sure what adult teeth will do until they grow in, but once a person has all of his or her adult teeth, the braces can be applied at any time.

If you are a parent and your child needs to have braces, the earlier you have them put on, the better off your child will be. Orthodontists will see children as young as seven or eight because, often, the teeth need to have some preliminary work done before the braces are applied in the early to late teen years. If you think your child will need braces take them to the Orthodontist as soon as they are old enough to go. Your orthodontist will look at your child’s teeth and jaws and determine what, if any, work can be done. Many people have found that, when they start the work early, braces are worn for shorter periods of time.

People who wait until they are adults to have braces and orthodontic work done are looking at a longer period of work. This is because the adult jaw is fully formed, and your teeth have stopped moving in your mouth. When you are growing up, your teeth remain fairly malleable (position-wise) to allow room for new teeth to grow in. Once teeth have stopped growing in, however, the roots secure themselves and it becomes harder to correct their positioning.

This does not mean that adults should not attempt to straighten their teeth. Many people have to wait until they are adults to have orthodontic work done because they could not afford to have the work done when they were children. Twenty five percent of all orthodontic patients are adults.

Really, the right time for braces is whenever your mouth is ready and you can afford to have the work done. Obviously, it is easier to have the work done as a teenager as your face and jaw are still forming and making corrections is easier. Also, the more preliminary work you can do (headgear, etc) before the braces themselves are put in, the less time you will spend wearing the braces themselves.