Dental Researchers Say Adults Not Braced for Braces

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Dental Researchers Say Adults Not Braced for Braces

CHICAGO -- Although up to three-fourths of adults suffer from some form of malocclusion or "bad bite," most adults have not braced themselves for treatment, according to an article in the January 1999 issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association. Causes of malocclusion, an orthodontic problem, include crowded, crooked or missing teeth or jaw misalignment. Adults do not seek orthodontic treatment because of embarrassment about wearing some orthodontic appliances, including braces, according to authors Thomas M. Buttke, Ph.D., School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina and William R. Proffit, DDS, Ph.D., professor and chairman, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina. Additional reasons given by adults include not knowing that they can benefit from orthodontic treatment, possible discomfort, cost and length of treatment.

"Recent studies have shown that the frequency of malocclusion in adults is quite similar to or greater than that observed in children," explained Drs. Buttke and Proffit. "Yet, adults make up only 15 percent of all orthodontic patients." U.S. adults frequently exhibit significant crowding and misalignment of upper and lower incisors, crossbites and spaces between upper teeth, they said. However, despite the common perception that orthodontic treatment takes longer in adults, Drs. Buttke and Proffit say studies often show no difference in the duration of treatment for adults compared with adolescents.

"Therefore," the authors say, "many adult dental patients might benefit from the same type of orthodontic treatment commonly provided to younger patients." They also said, "Recent advances in orthodontic appliance design have increased patient acceptance because they are much smaller and less esthetically objectionable than the appliances of even a decade ago." Drs. Buttke and Proffit concluded that many adults possess a dental malocclusion that is correctable through orthodontic treatment and that it is no longer unusual to encounter an adult wearing orthodontic appliances.

More information about orthodontics and oral health care is available on the American Dental Association's web site: http://www.ada.org.

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