If you are an adult and have crooked teeth, they may be affecting your self-esteem. One thing that can help straighten your teeth is braces. You may be thinking it is not okay for an adult to get braces and that they are only for children. This is not true, however, and braces will work great to get your teeth straight. Below is information about two different types of braces that are available. Your dentist will choose what is best for you, however. 

Clear Braces

There are braces that are completely clear and not very noticeable. These braces have clear aligners and they move your crooked teeth into a straight position. Your teeth will move slightly so you will not feel pain. 

If your orthodontist chooses clear braces for you, they will fit you for aligners which then adjust your teeth. At a certain point, you will have these first aligners replaced with new aligners to further adjust your crooked teeth. This will continue until your teeth are straight. How long it takes to straighten your teeth will depend on how crooked your teeth are. In many cases, it will take around one to two years. 

The aligners are made of acrylic or plastic and they have a tight fit over your teeth. You can remove the aligners when you eat, brush, and floss your teeth. 

Traditional Braces

If your teeth are very crooked the orthodontist may suggest that you get traditional braces. These braces apply pressure continuously over your teeth. Your teeth will move a little at a time very slowly. 

With these braces, metal bands will be cemented to the molars. Metal brackets are then directly bonded to your front teeth. There are wires that connect the brackets and bands. To make adjustments the orthodontist will tighten the wires slowly over time. Rubber bands are also attached to the wires in most cases. If so, you will have to wear these rubber bands for most of the day. How long you wear metal braces depends on your teeth but in most cases, it is up to two years.

Metal braces are much more noticeable, but they work great to straighten your teeth. You will feel pain with these braces on days when the orthodontist has to make adjustments to your wires. You also have to be careful in what you eat as some foods will get stuck in the brackets, such as chewy candy, popcorn, hard candy, and peanuts.

Your orthodontist can give you much more information about both clear and metal braces.