Can You Get Invisalign in Middle Age?

Hello. I am Yoon Jeong-won, the chief director of Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic, an orthodontic clinic in Daechi-dong.

“Is it too late to get orthodontic treatment in middle age?”

“Isn’t orthodontic treatment only possible at a young age?”

Many people tend to think this way about orthodontic treatment. However, these days, more and more people are beginning orthodontic treatment not only in middle age but also in their 50s, 60s, and even later years. Age is just a number, and it is never too late to regain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Needed in Middle Age?

Teeth continue to change even after middle age. As we get older, the gums become weaker, and the spaces between the teeth may widen or the teeth may become misaligned. Orthodontic treatment may also be necessary for people who were unable to receive treatment in the past or whose tooth alignment has deteriorated because of old dental prostheses.

Orthodontic treatment in middle age helps not only improve the appearance of your smile but also restore dental function and maintain long-term oral health. When the teeth move back into their proper positions, chewing function can improve, and it can also help reduce tooth wear and temporomandibular joint problems.

A Middle-Aged Orthodontic Case

Something a female patient said to me during an orthodontic consultation recently stayed with me for a long time. She said that because of the spaces between her teeth, she had always covered her mouth when laughing. Orthodontic treatment had been a long-standing wish of hers, but because her children always came first, she had not been able to start treatment readily.

She said that while raising her children, she had not known whether orthodontic treatment was still possible at her age. She was especially happy to learn that Invisalign clear aligners could provide orthodontic treatment without causing an aesthetic concern. .

Many middle-aged and older people surprisingly do not know whether orthodontic treatment is possible, believing that it can only be received during childhood. Among the patients I have treated orthodontically, quite a few have been in their 60s or older!

Whether orthodontic treatment is possible in middle age is, in fact, not closely related to age. Among people in their 20s and 30s, there are many whose gum health is much worse than that of older people because they have not properly cared for their teeth and gums. Conversely, many people in their 60s and 70s have taken better care of their gums than many people in their 30s and 40s. The health of your teeth and supporting jawbone is more important than your age.

Middle-aged and older people often feel concerned about having to wear orthodontic appliances for a long period for aesthetic reasons. If you are worried about orthodontic appliances interfering with your social life, Invisalign clear aligners may be helpful.

July 2024: Initial examination

The patient originally had straight front teeth when she was young, but they gradually became misaligned with age. She visited us about three months earlier because her lower molars had tilted inward, causing food to become trapped frequently and making pronunciation uncomfortable. Since she felt that having orthodontic appliances attached would be burdensome in her social life, she decided to begin orthodontic treatment with Invisalign.

In early August, we fitted her with her first aligner. We asked her to wear the aligners diligently and to pay close attention to brushing and oral hygiene.

October 2024: After wearing the aligners for two months (eight stages)

These are intraoral photographs taken at the patient’s follow-up appointment two months after receiving her first aligner. Unlike conventional fixed orthodontic treatment, Invisalign does not require monthly visits to change the wires. Since patients receive their aligners every two to three months, one advantage is that they do not need to visit the dental clinic frequently. She initially had some difficulty putting on the aligners because of the inwardly tilted teeth, but said that she adapted quickly. She also reported wearing the aligners diligently for approximately 20 to 22 hours a day, except while eating.

As a result of wearing the aligners diligently, her front teeth had become noticeably straighter over the two months, and spaces were gradually opening to make room for aligning the inwardly tilted molars.

Two months after beginning Invisalign treatment

After we emphasized the importance of brushing, we were able to confirm that her gum health had improved considerably after beginning orthodontic treatment compared with before treatment. Although she was still in the early stages of treatment, the patient was very satisfied, saying that her teeth had already become much better aligned after just two months and that wearing the aligners had been worthwhile :)

Unlike conventional orthodontic appliances that use brackets attached to the teeth, Invisalign aligners can be removed and put back in, making oral hygiene management easier and offering excellent aesthetics above all. Even when viewed up close, it is barely noticeable that the aligners are being worn. Because they are comfortable and cause almost no disruption to daily life, they can be considered highly suitable for middle-aged patients who are active socially.

For orthodontic treatment in middle age, factors such as the length of the tooth roots, the condition of the supporting jawbone, and systemic diseases must be considered. Because the supporting jawbone may gradually decrease with aging and tooth mobility may occur due to changes in the bite, severe cases may require tooth extraction. Therefore, precise orthodontic treatment that moves only the target teeth is necessary.

Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic has all the latest equipment needed for Invisalign treatment, including the iTero Lumina 3D intraoral scanner, growth plate examinations, and before-and-after treatment simulations using the Morpheus facial scanner. This allows orthodontic treatment to be carried out more precisely and systematically.

In addition, the cost of orthodontic treatment includes the precise diagnostic fee and monthly fees, among other charges (excluding the cost of retainers), so you do not need to worry about unexpected additional costs. The clinic also has a general dentistry department, making all treatments required alongside orthodontic treatment, such as extractions and cavity treatment, available in one place. An installment payment system is also available to reduce the burden of paying a large amount at once, making this an appealing option.

Chief Director Yoon Jeong-won is in charge of the orthodontic department and has specialized exclusively in orthodontics for 16 years, with experience treating numerous complex cases. Accordingly, various orthodontic conditions, including malocclusion, protruding teeth, and skeletal Class III jaw relationships, can be treated effectively.

Those considering orthodontic treatment because of protruding teeth, crowding, malocclusion, or a skeletal Class III jaw relationship have probably already gathered a great deal of information through online searches. Even so, comparing the different types of appliances in person and receiving a detailed explanation can be very helpful when making a decision.

During a consultation, you can compare various appliances, including Clarity, Clippy C, and Invisalign, with your own eyes and receive a detailed explanation of their advantages and disadvantages. We recommend that you feel free to call or visit us for a consultation.

Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic is conveniently located near Samseong Station, Hakyeoul Station, Daechi Station, and Hanti Station, making it very easy to visit from Samseong-dong, Daechi-dong, and Gaepo-dong.

The building next to BMW at the Uiseong Apartments intersection in Daechi-dong

(Across from Starbucks and Samsung Store)

Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic, an orthodontic clinic in Daechi-dong,

has convenient and free parking.

Consultations and inquiries: 02-501-2879