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Your treatment
Treatment as an adult
What is different about straightening teeth later in life, and what is not.
Written by the team at Milk Orthodontics
Teeth move at any age. What changes as an adult is that growth has finished, your gums and bone have had longer to wear, and you have a life to fit treatment around. None of that rules treatment out. It changes how we plan it, and it often makes the discreet options more appealing.
What is different
A child can have the growth of the jaws guided; an adult cannot, so bite problems that come from jaw size are solved with tooth movement alone, or occasionally with jaw surgery for larger differences. We will tell you honestly which group you are in.
Bone remodels a little more slowly with age, and teeth that have already been through fillings, crowns or gum recession need a little more care. Treatment can still be efficient; we simply plan for it.
Gum health matters more. Teeth can only be moved safely through healthy bone and gum, so a check with your dentist or hygienist before starting, and regular cleans during treatment, is part of the plan for most adults.
The options
| Option | Good to know |
|---|---|
| Clear aligners | Removable and hard to notice. Work well for many adult cases as long as they are worn 22 or more hours a day. |
| Ceramic (tooth-coloured) braces | Fixed, so no wear-time discipline needed. Less visible than metal. |
| Metal braces | The most controllable option and often the quickest for complex bites. |
| Limited treatment | Sometimes only the front teeth need aligning, or a single tooth needs moving before a crown or implant. Shorter and simpler. |
Fitting it around life
- Routine visits are short and usually every six to ten weeks.
- Aligner reviews can often be spaced further apart once wear is going well.
- Speech settles within days of anything new in the mouth. Presentations and photos are fine.
Common questions
Am I too old?
No. We treat people in their sixties and seventies. What matters is healthy gums and bone, not the number.
Will my old fillings or crowns be a problem?
Usually not. Brackets can be attached to most surfaces and aligners fit over them. We plan around anything that needs care.
Last reviewed August 2026