There are specific times in an adult’s life when they think about their smiles. Wedding photos, high school reunion photos, and even your child’s baby pictures may start you thinking about your smile and whether you want to change it. Is it too late for you to visit an orthodontist? In most cases, the answer is no.

When Should I Start Care?

If you or someone in your family has bite issues, tooth spacing problems, or crooked teeth, your dentist may start talking to you about orthodontic care for your child at around the age they begin to get their permanent teeth–which is usually as the child moves from kindergarten to first grade. Every child is different. From the time you are seven through your life, you are eligible for orthodontic care.

Is There An Age Cutoff To Get Braces?

In theory, adults can be fitted with braces through their senior years. It is never too early to start orthodontic treatment. However, if you are older and you are thinking about orthodontic care, most orthodontists have a couple of requirements. First, your jawbone needs to be healthy and strong. Braces and clear aligners will move your teeth around in order to fix your issues, and your jawbone has to be healthy enough to handle it.

Second, older adults who want braces must have all of their adult teeth. Braces or aligners won’t work if you have artificial teeth. For example, if you want to straighten your teeth with clear aligners but you have dental implants, bridges, or veneers, you can’t receive orthodontic care.

You also want to make sure you are not a smoker. That’s because smokers have difficulty with healing. It takes them far longer to heal from any procedure when compared with nonsmoking adults who are the same age. If you meet these requirements, there’s no reason you can’t get braces or other orthodontic care.