It's never too late to fix a smile you've been quietly unhappy with. At Crosstown Dental Group, our adult orthodontics program is built specifically for grown patients across Concourse and Highland Row who want straighter teeth, a healthier bite, and a more confident smile without putting the rest of their life on hold. Whether you skipped braces as a teenager, your teeth have shifted with age, or you simply never loved the way your smile looked in photos, we offer real, effective treatment options designed around adult schedules, adult priorities, and adult expectations around discretion.
Orthodontics for Grown-Up Smiles
Orthodontic treatment in adulthood is different from treating a growing child's jaw, and it requires a dentist who understands those differences. Bone density, gum health, previous dental work, and existing wear patterns all factor into how we plan your case. Our team evaluates your bite, spacing, crowding, and jaw alignment with the same clinical rigor we'd apply to any orthodontic case under our Orthodontics department, then builds a plan around appliances that fit discreetly into your professional and personal life - whether that means clear aligners, ceramic braces, or a combination approach tailored to your specific misalignment.
Many adults assume that crooked teeth are just something to live with once childhood braces are off the table, but that isn't true. Teeth continue to shift throughout life due to natural aging, tooth loss, jaw changes, and years of normal wear, and what was once a minor overlap can slowly become a more noticeable bite problem. Recognizing the early warning signs helps us intervene before small issues turn into larger, more expensive dental concerns.
One of the most common misconceptions we hear in our Concourse and Highland Row practice is that orthodontics has an age cutoff. It doesn't. As long as your gums and supporting bone are healthy enough to support tooth movement, you are very likely a candidate for treatment, regardless of whether you're 28 or 68. What matters far more than age is a thorough evaluation of your current oral health, because orthodontics works by applying gentle, sustained pressure to teeth anchored in living bone and gum tissue.
Before any adult orthodontic plan begins, we take a close look at your gum health, bone levels, any existing restorative work like crowns or bridges, and whether you grind or clench your teeth at night. This isn't a box-checking exercise - it genuinely changes how we sequence your treatment and which appliance type will give you the most predictable, comfortable result.
No two adult smiles need the exact same approach, which is why we offer several appliance systems rather than pushing every patient toward a single product. During your consultation, we'll walk through which option matches your bite complexity, timeline, and budget, and we'll be direct with you about trade-offs rather than oversell any single method.
Straightening your teeth as an adult delivers far more than a nicer-looking smile, though that's certainly part of the appeal. Correcting crowding, gaps, and bite misalignment has measurable effects on your long-term oral health, your comfort day to day, and even how efficiently you chew and speak. Patients who complete adult orthodontic treatment consistently report that cleaning their teeth feels easier and their jaw feels less fatigued by the end of their workday.
Staying on track with adult orthodontics requires a bit of a routine, but nothing that disrupts your life. We'll give you specific guidance based on the appliance you choose, and our team checks in regularly to make sure your treatment is progressing the way we planned. Even after your braces come off or your last aligner tray is finished, the work of protecting your results is just getting started.
We start with digital X-rays, bite photographs, and a full periodontal check to understand exactly what's driving your crowding, gaps, or bite misalignment before recommending anything.
We walk you through appliance options - clear aligners, ceramic braces, or traditional braces - along with realistic timelines and cost, so you choose with full confidence.
Your appliances are fitted precisely, and we schedule periodic visits to adjust wires or issue new aligner sets, tracking your bite's progress at every stage.
Once your teeth reach their target position, we fit you with a custom retainer and build a maintenance schedule to protect your results for the years ahead.
Choosing where to get orthodontic work done as an adult is a bigger decision than picking a dentist for a cleaning. You're trusting a team with months, sometimes years, of planning and progress checks. Here's what sets our approach apart for adult patients across Concourse and Highland Row.
No. As long as your gums and supporting bone are healthy, age alone doesn't rule out orthodontic treatment. We've successfully treated patients in their 20s through their 60s and beyond. The main requirement is that any active gum disease or decay is addressed first, since orthodontic forces need a stable, healthy foundation to work predictably.
Treatment length depends heavily on how much movement your bite needs. Minor crowding or relapse cases can sometimes be resolved in 4 to 9 months with limited aligner treatment, while more complex bite corrections with braces or full aligner therapy typically run 12 to 24 months. We'll give you a realistic estimate at your consultation once we've reviewed your scans and bite photos.
Not necessarily. Clear aligners are nearly invisible when worn and can be removed for important meetings, presentations, or events. Ceramic braces use tooth-colored brackets that are far less visible than traditional metal. We'll help you pick an option that matches your comfort level with visibility.
Most adults describe mild pressure or soreness for a few days after an adjustment or when switching to a new aligner tray, similar to what teens experience. Adult bone can respond slightly slower to movement, which sometimes means a bit more patience is needed, but modern appliances and gentler force systems have made the process far more comfortable than older orthodontic methods.
Call our office right away. A loose wire or cracked aligner isn't typically a true dental emergency, but it should be addressed quickly to keep your treatment on track and prevent irritation to your cheeks or gums. Our team will get you in promptly to make the fix and get your plan back on schedule.
Coverage varies widely between plans, and some policies cap or exclude adult orthodontic benefits entirely. Our front desk team will review your plan details with you, explain what's covered, and lay out flexible payment options so cost never has to be a mystery before you commit to treatment.
Crosstown Dental Group
Comprehensive, comfortable dental care for every member of your family — schedule your appointment at Crosstown Dental Group today.
