What is adult treatment?

Adult Treatment

It’s never too late to improve your greatest asset… your smile! Braces aren’t just for children anymore and, at West Australian Orthodontics, a large percentage of our patients are adults. Tooth alignment can be changed at any age if your gums and surrounding bone are healthy. At WAO we offer a variety of treatments that are designed for different age groups – including adults. Dr Kandasamy has extensive experience in dealing with complex adult orthodontic cases that involve integrating treatment with general dentists as well as other dental specialists.

Orthodontic treatment at later stages in life can dramatically improve your personal appearance and self-esteem. Having braces later in life does not necessarily mean significantly longer treatment times. With better and newer techniques and appliances we are able greatly reduce levels of discomfort, decrease the frequency of visits and shorten treatment times. Depending on your treatment requirements your braces options may include metal braces, clear braces, clear aligners or braces on the inside of your mouth (lingual braces). Clear aligners are primarily used to improve mild cases of crowded teeth.

Surgery

Corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) treats abnormalities of the underlying facial bones and jaws. Discrepancies between the upper and lower jaws can not only impact on the position of teeth but also influence self-esteem as well as everyday activities including eating, talking and sleeping. In conjunction with orthodontic treatment, orthognathic surgery will address these problems and improve the overall appearance of your face and smile. Orthognathic surgery is concerned with the movement of the upper and/or lower jaw to match the teeth into a correct bite as well as improving one’s overall facial balance. Orthognathic surgery is usually performed by an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who primarily specialises in surgery related to the teeth and jaws. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia in a private or public hospital setting.

Using the latest technology, Dr Kandasamy will discuss and illustrate to you the overall functional and aesthetic benefits of orthognathic surgery as well as the issues pertaining to healing, stability and potential risks. Orthognathic surgery may be unnecessary if orthodontic treatment can correct the problem. At your consultation appointment with us, we will determine if orthognathic surgery is the correct treatment option for you.