As an adult, are you self conscious of the way that your teeth look? Do you feel like you are too old for braces after not having them as a child? If so, know that you are not completely out of luck. There are orthodontic options that can work for adults just as well as they do for kids. Here are 4 options to consider for crooked teeth as an adult.

Invisalign

One common method you have probably heard about is Invisalign. It is so popular with adults because it involves wearing invisible trays that can be removed when necessary. Your dentist will create a unique set of trays that are designed to slowly shift your teeth, with you needing to wear each tray for approximately two weeks.

While the trays can be removed, it is not advised to leave them out of your mouth for too long. You should keep the trays in your mouth for 20-22 hours every day, with you only removing them for reasons like eating and brushing your teeth.

Damon Braces

Having damon braces installed will be quite different from traditional braces. This variation has brackets made of ceramic or metal that are self-ligating, and have holes through the brackets which allow an archwire to pass through. They do not require any rubber bands to do their job, which essentially move the teeth by friction. Self-ligating braces use less force, but still move the teeth quite easily.

Ceramic Braces

While conventional braces are made with metal brackets, there is a variation that is made using ceramic brackets. The end result is that the races won't be as obvious to others, since they are designed to blend in with your teeth. The downfall is that ceramic braces will cost more money than their metal counterpart. You can actually have ceramic brackets installed on the visible front teeth, while metal is used on the rear teeth to save money.

Lingual Braces

There is another variety of braces where the bracket attaches on the rear of the teeth. These are called lingual braces, and can be great for when you don't want others to see that you have braces. However, they are not best for major adjustments, and can take longer to make the necessary connection when compared to traditional metal braces on the front of the teeth.

Not sure which method is best for you? Ask a dentist, such as at Reed & Sahlaney Orthodontics, LLP,  for more information.