Did you know that your smile changes as you age? It’s true! As other changes take place, your teeth can wear down and continue to shift and alter your smile.
We see a handful of common changes at Jones & DeShon Orthodontics among adults as they age, including:
1. A gap in the front teeth
Space between two front teeth is referred to as a diastema, and it can develop for a variety of reasons. Crowding of teeth or unproportioned jaws and teeth can cause spacing to gradually occur. Swallowing, with the pressure of your tongue pushing against your front teeth, rather than positioning itself at the roof of your mouth, can also cause teeth to separate over time. Gum disease is another trigger for spacing, because of the inflammation.
2. Crowding of the bottom teeth
As you age, your jaw bone loses density and shrinks. The mismatched size of the jaw bone with teeth can lead to crowding of the bottom front teeth. Crowding can also occur because other issues such as breathing through your mouth, reverse swallowing, tongue thrusting or facial trauma.
3. Teeth shifting after orthodontic treatment
Our bodies change our whole life, and our teeth change, too. After orthodontic treatment a retainer is needed to maintain teeth in position. As we age, if teeth are restored or lost, new proper fitting retainers will be needed to prevent unwanted change.
4. Wrong bite
Do you get headaches, clicking and popping jaw joints, grind your teeth or even back pain? You may have a bite disorder, which occurs when the lower and upper jaw don’t align, called malocclusion.
These changes may be completely normal, but that doesn’t mean you just have to live with them. Orthodontic treatment is for everyone. Your treatment could take a little longer because your bone tissue is denser than that of children, but your results can be just as beautiful and can actually improve your overall health.
Dr. Jones, Dr. DeShon and the whole Jones & DeShon team is ready to talk with you more about your adult orthodontic treatment options. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation.