Braces aren’t just for teenagers anymore.
With adults accounting for 20 percent of U.S. orthodontic patients, it’s apparent that many adults are now taking care of dental problems that were either overlooked or postponed during childhood.
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, more than 1 million adults are currently undergoing orthodontic treatment. The number of adult orthodontic patients has risen 33.5 percent in the past decade.
Reasons Adults are Getting Wired
A healthy, straight smile is often seen as an indicator of good overall health. This conception has led many adults to straighten their smiles even when it’s not absolutely necessary.
Braces can be used to fix many dental problems, including:
- Spacing
- Over bite
- Cross bite
- Under bite
- Crooked Teeth
- Crowding
In recent years, the options for orthodontic patients have increased, allowing patients to choose between several orthodontic treatment methods. Some methods allow patients to reduce visibility of their braces and the length of time they spend in them.
New, clear orthodontic treatment options are especially attractive to adult patients because they allow them to get the same benefit without sporting the metal and rubber bands often associated with the awkward years of adolescence.
Increase in adult patients makes life easier for orthodontists
The new wave of adults getting braces may decrease stress for orthodontists.
Everyone remembers the kids with braces who secretly indulged in popcorn and candy after their mothers dropped them off at the movie theatre. Luckily for orthodontists, an increase in adult patients will likely reduce the number of guilty patients coming in early to fix self-induced problems caused by abandoning eating restrictions.
Whereas younger orthodontic patients are usually plopped into the orthodontist’s chair by their parents, adults who enter the orthodontist office bring a different mentality. For adults, this is often a procedure they have wanted to have done for many years, so they are more willing to follow rules in order to get the best benefit from their treatment, and their money.
Reducing the cost of braces
Braces cost upwards of $4,000 depending on which orthodontic treatment method is chosen. While some dental insurance companies cover the full cost of orthodontics, many only cover a portion of the cost.
For those who want braces but are either without dental insurance or need help in addition to their dental insurance coverage, a discount dental plan can help alleviate costs.
DentalPlans.com is the industry’s leading provider of discount dental plans and select plans from the company’s offering of more than 30 regional and national plans offer discount on specialty services such as braces.
To find a plan in your area, click here and enter your ZIP code.
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