Written by Dr. Chaw Su Kyi on October 26, 2020
Yes, we can. We’re often asked this question, as so many people still think of braces as something for children or teenagers. Which is not the case. Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s, there’s no age barrier to getting your teeth straightened. Plus, ‘train tracks’ are no longer your only option, as there are now Invisalign removable clear aligners as well as lingual braces, which fit to the back of your teeth.
Yes, they never stop moving. The knock-on effects of this constant moving are partly down to the luck of the draw but also to how your teeth were to start with: if your teeth were fairly straight, any movement is unlikely to dramatically affect their appearance or to cause problems with cleaning; but if they were already crowded, they’re likely to overlap even more.
Believe it or not, there’s actually no evidence that wisdom teeth will move your other teeth. The fact is that our teeth move throughout our lives irrespective of whether we have wisdom teeth or not. So, provided you have healthy teeth and gums, there’s nothing – including your wisdom teeth – stopping you having your teeth straightened.
If you have a number of crowns or veneers, we often recommend Invisalign treatment so as to avoid any attachments on the teeth in question. Putting a fixed brace on a crown or veneer can be challenging, as there’s a risk of the bracket keep coming off as the bond strength of the bracket to the crown or veneer is weaker than the bond strength to enamel.
No, unfortunately they don’t ever stop shifting. Our teeth are continually moving throughout our lives although it’s true that some people’s teeth move more than others. For some people, the movement’s only quite minimal, while for others, it can result in already overlapping teeth becoming more crowded or twisted.
West London Orthodontics offers the most advanced orthodontic care for children and adults. Serving patients in Hammersmith, Shepherd's Bush, and Chiswick, Dr Kyi and her team specialise in various brace options, including Invisalign. Book a consultation today.
