As an adult with teeth that need to be straightened, you may be concerned with wearing the metal brackets associated with orthodontic braces. If you have a job that requires you to speak in front of people all the time, like a teacher, lawyer or businessperson, having a mouth full of metal could distract your listeners. However, advances in orthodontics give you options for getting your teeth straightened that can be kept a secret.

Invisible Braces

Invisible braces are not the typical brackets and wires of typical orthodontics. Instead, you will wear a series of clear, hard retainers. They are not bonded to your teeth, but can be removed. You will need to take them out to eat and for cleaning. As your teeth move, you will be given a new set to continue the progress of adjusting the placement of our teeth. However, if you need to correct an over or under bite, or your teeth are severely crooked, these retainers will not work.

Hidden Braces

Hidden braces are an option if you need to have the adjustment ability of regular braces. The difference is that they are placed on the inside of your teeth instead of the outside. They are completely customized to fit in your mouth. They can even fix a bite alignment problem. Of course, because they are on the backside of your teeth your tongue will feel them more than other forms of orthodontics and it may take a bit longer to become accustomed to them.

Clear Ceramic Braces

Although clear ceramic braces are not completely invisible or hidden, they are still a good option if you do not want your braces to be obvious. Like hidden braces, they can do the same adjusting as regular braces. You will not have to worry about something inside your teeth, bothering your tongue and possibly changing your speech. They are still visible to people standing or sitting close to you though.

Having your teeth straightened as an adult should not give you undue embarrassment, even if you decide to go with traditional metal brackets and wires for financial reasons. It is becoming more common for adults to have orthodontics. A mouthful of crooked teeth or a bad bite issue can be more distracting and embarrassing than wearing braces. If people see that you are trying to correct the issue they will applaud your efforts. However, if you just cannot bear the idea of everyone knowing, you do have other options. To discuss your options, talk to a professional like Fayetteville Family Dentistry.