Adults and Braces: Not just for kids anymore
Just hearing the word “braces” can take many of us back to junior high — that painful era when we wore unattractive glasses, endured unflattering haircuts, and carried a mouthful of braces to complete the awkward adolescent look. Despite the common assumption that braces are for kids, more and more adults are choosing to pursue orthodontics to correct their smiles.Braces for Adults
Perhaps you never had braces as a kid and you are embarrassed by your crooked teeth. Or you went through a round of braces a decade ago and stopped wearing your retainer, which allowed your teeth to shift. Whatever your personal history, wearing braces in adulthood is an excellent way to create the straight, beautiful smile you deserve.
What are my options?
With recent advances in orthodontic medicine, there are numerous options for adults who need braces. The basic option is traditional metal braces. These are best for individuals who have severely crooked teeth or a significant bite problem, or require other major orthodontic changes. Metal braces are typically the least expensive option. The greatest drawback to wearing metal braces as an adult is aesthetics. Many people find them unattractive and distracting.
If you are a professional who is worried about your personal appearance, clear ceramic braces may be a better choice. Clear braces are capable of handling very crooked teeth or bite issues, but they cost more than metal braces. You also have to be careful about smoking or drinking red wine, soda, and other dark beverages while wearing clear braces. These items may stain the adhesive that binds the brackets to your teeth.
Another popular option for adults who need braces is a clear aligner treatment, such as Invisalign®. This system works in a different way from traditional braces by applying a series of clear, retainer-like aligners. The series is custom made for your teeth, which makes this option more expensive than either metal or ceramic braces. In general, the Invisalign process takes anywhere from three to 18 months to complete. You should be aware that Invisalign is not as effective as traditional braces in treating bite problems, teeth that are lower or higher than others, or severely overcrowded teeth.
Although you may be nervous about the prospect of getting braces as an adult, you should not let your fears stop you from talking with Dr .George Bardawil. A consultation at our Hamra or Fanar office will address your concerns and provide information about the best course of treatment for you. No matter what your personal situation, adult braces can be a great way to boost your confidence and create the smile you’ve always dreamed of.
Dr.george bardawil -ORTHODONTIST www.drgeorgebardawil.com, info@drgeorgebardawil.com, Invisalign Gold premier provider, speciality clinics center, st maamari,12th floor hamra,beirut lebanon Hamra clinic 961-1-747644 Fanar clinic 961-1-873718 mobile 961-3-542724
IDEAL OCCLUSION. An ideal occlusion is that which shows a perfect smile line, there is no crowding, no overlap, no rotations or spacing of teeth. In a perfect world, there is a perfect pattern in the closure of 32 permanent teeth. This ideal occlusion rarely exists. A normal occlusion is one which shows some deviation from that of the ideal but is aesthetically acceptable and functionally stable for the individual. 
CLASS I MALOCCLUSION. The jaw relationship is relatively normal but your teeth may be very crowded and unattractive. 
CLASS II MALOCCLUSION (Overbite). This is an overjet (commonly called an overbite). This is where a discrepancy lies between the upper and lower jaws (usually the lower jaw has not kept the same rate of growth as the upper jaw) 
CLASS III MALOCCLUSION (Underbite). An underbite can be a result of the upper jaw not keeping the same rate of growth as the lower jaw and/or the lower jaw is growing forward in excess. 
Crowding presents itself as a general overlap of teeth in each jaw. You can see from the photographs the generalized overlapping of teeth and the extent of the crowding.
A crossbite is a positional problem, where one or more of opposing upper and lower teeth bite on the wrong side of each other. This may affect either the front or the back teeth. In the growing child these crossbites may affect the growth pattern of either jaw and may cause a permanent skeletal change.
A deep bite occurs when the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth too much. In some cases the lower front teeth might damage the gums behind the upper teeth.
During the normal eruption pattern, the permanent teeth generally dissolve the roots of the deciduous (baby or primary teeth) as they erupt into the mouth. The end result is that the baby teeth fall out and are replaced almost immediately by the permanent successor.
Excess spacing describes the condition of when there are noticeable gaps between the teeth.
The midline of our upper and lower teeth should generally coincide. A discrepancy of this midline is when the middle of the upper and lower teeth does not align. This can be due to the upper or lower teeth moving to the left or right or a combination of both. Various factors can result in a midline shift such as the premature loss of baby teeth, retained baby teeth, crowding, missing teeth and tooth size issues.
The number of teeth affects the look or aesthetic appearance of the smile and the function of the jaws and the teeth. In cases of missing anterior (front) teeth, symmetry plays an important role in whether it is best to have a missing tooth/teeth replaced or the space of the missing tooth closed. Missing teeth may result from hereditary causes (quite common) or environmental factors such as decay, accidents where teeth may have been knocked out, or the failure of teeth to erupt, which leads to an impaction.
An openbite refers to a vertical open space when the upper teeth do not overlap the lower teeth at all. Ideally the upper front teeth should overlap the lower teeth by 1.5mm—2 mm. Openbites may result from environmental factors such as thumb/finger sucking, tongue thrust swallowing, mouth breathing and pacifiers. 
Angulations of teeth refer to the alignment of the long axis of the teeth in a line from the chewing surface along the root. Incorrect angulations may be caused by lack of space for the tooth to erupt or it may mean that something in the jaw is causing the tooth to tilt. Some examples of this would be a retained baby tooth, an extra tooth or a cyst.
When baby teeth do not erupt along with the adjacent adult teeth, the baby teeth seem to submerge. This can become severe enough for the baby teeth to eventually be covered by gum tissue. If this occurs, the adjacent permanent teeth may tilt over the submerged baby tooth/teeth and create localized crowding.
