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Health & Fitness

A Perfect Smile Knows No Age Limit!

There are no restrictions on Orthodontic care. In fact, it is essential to overall health.

In my 27 years of orthodontic practice I have had the pleasure of treating patient of all ages. I am frequently asked if there is an age limitation on wearing braces.

Wearing braces has always been thought of as one of those rites of passages of teenage life, like acne. However, that does not represent the entire landscape of orthodontic patients. According to a New York Times article (published Feb. 1, 2012) as of 2010 an estimated 22% of all orthodontic patients were adults. This represents an increase over past statistics.

Many adults seek Orthodontic care after they have taken care of their children's needs, and now it's their turn. A smile makeover can provide a boost to self confidence and increase one's attractiveness and youthfulness. In fact, many adults have been using this to gain a competitive edge in today’s workforce.

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Regardless of motivation, it turns out that age alone is not a significant factor. The more important factors that determine one's orthodontic "fitness" are related to (1) systemic or overall body health as well as (2) dental health issues.

The systemic issues that can affect the success of orthodontic treatment include factors that act upon our bone physiology. This can include nutrition, calcium deficiency, osteoporosis (and some of the drugs that are used to control it), smoking and diabetes. Teeth are housed in bone, and anything that affects the health of our bone can affect our teeth.

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The dental issues are mostly related to periodontal (the roots, gum tissue and bone) health. Patients with periodontal disease that is untreated have a higher risk of acceleration of bone loss and inflammation during orthodontic treatment than those with sound periodontal health. Furthermore, smoking and diabetes can further aggravate the periodontal health. The final common denominator in any considerations of what affects one's periodontal health is the ability to control plaque accumulation. Daily oral hygiene is absolutely critical to the health of the teeth (with or without braces!).

Got Crowns? Root Canals? Teeth that have a history of crowns, or root canal treatment can behave just like teeth that have never had any alterations, so these shouldn't be obstacles to orthodontic treatment.

Are you ever too old for Orthodontic treatment?

No! Provided that your systemic and dental health is sound, you can be well on your way to transforming your smile, regardless of your age.

For more information on Orthodontic care visit www.braceace.com or respond to Dr Schechtman on the blog. Your comments and feedback are always welcome!

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