Crooked Teeth in Adults – Understanding Your Treatment Options

Crooked, crowded, or misaligned teeth are common in adults and can significantly impact confidence and self-image. Beyond aesthetics, crooked teeth can also cause a range of health issues.

Even if you had braces as a child, our teeth are always changing due to our jaws and teeth shifting with age, as well as pressures from the oral muscles (cheek, lips and tongue). Whether you once had straight teeth or have never been happy with your teeth and want to improve your smile as an adult, there are plenty of orthodontic treatment options available for you.

Orthodontic options, like ceramic clear braces, metal braces, clear aligner treatment, and lingual braces, are becoming more popular. Adults have plenty of orthodontic treatment options to straighten crooked teeth.

Crooked teeth in adults

Crooked teeth are a prevalent dental issue in adults, affecting 60 to 75% of Australians. For some adults, crooked teeth can be mild, with only a few teeth showing minor imperfections; for others, misalignment can be more obvious.

As an adult, crooked teeth can be caused or worsened by:

• Age: As we get older, our teeth tend to get more crowded due to ongoing facial changes with age, especially noticed by adults in the lower front teeth region.

• Size of the jaw: Smaller and shorter jaws can cause overcrowded and crooked teeth.

• Skeletal Malocclusion (jaw misalignment): A misaligned jaw can cause an overjet and overbite or underbite

• Dental Malocclusion (Teeth misalignment): Misaligned teeth that weren’t addressed as a child or teenager can persist in the pattern further crookedness and crowding.

• Facial injuries: Injuries, such as a knock to the face or mouth, can result in tooth loss or misalignment and cause crooked teeth.

• Poor dental health and missing teeth: Neglecting our teeth can lead to decay and cavities. Previous dental extractions can lead to the remaining teeth shifting into the gaps and further misalignment.

• Gum disease: Gum disease affects the foundational support of the teeth – the gums and bones. A reduction in these supporting structures can lead to side effects of drifting and movement of the teeth, and cause misalignment.

Can crooked teeth cause problems?

Yes, crooked teeth can lead to numerous oral health issues if left untreated. More than just a cosmetic problem, misalignment in the teeth and jaw can affect the mouth’s function, such as impacting speech, causing discomfort, and affecting biting and chewing.

If teeth are overcrowded or hidden behind other teeth, cleaning between the teeth may become difficult, and oral hygiene can be compromised. When individuals are unable to clean their teeth properly, the risk of cavities and gum disease increases significantly.

Treatment options for crooked teeth in adults

Ceramic braces

Ceramic braces, also known as clear braces, are a popular, more subtle orthodontic treatment option. Ceramic braces are made of a clear material that sits on the outside of the teeth, moving teeth slowly into the desired position. Ceramic braces treatment can take between 1-2 years, and cost between $7,000 and $11,000.

Clear aligners (Invisalign)

Clear aligners, or Invisalign, are almost entirely invisible, require fewer orthodontic visits, and offer more overall comfort than braces. Naturally, clear aligners are becoming one of the most popular alternatives to braces for adults. Depending on the extent of misalignment and length of treatment, clear aligners can cost between $2,500 and $11,000.

Lingual braces

Lingual braces are attached to the inside of the teeth and are invisible from the front. As they are hidden almost entirely, lingual braces are also a popular orthodontic treatment option among adults. Lingual braces cost between $9,000 and $17,000 and can take 1 to 2 years to realign the teeth.

Traditional braces

While traditional metal braces are generally the most effective orthodontic option, adults are less likely to choose them due to aesthetic reasons. With a thin metal wire on the outside of each tooth, metal braces are not as subtle as other orthodontic treatments. Treatment typically takes between 1 to 2 years and costs between $6,000 and $10,000.

If you have any questions about orthodontic treatment for correcting crooked teeth as an adult, contact the Glow Orthodontics team. As Sydney’s leading orthodontic clinic, led by Board Certified Specialist Orthodontist Dr. Jessica Yeo, the team at Glow is dedicated to providing detailed, supported, and personalised orthodontic services in Sydney for our patients.