Middle-Age Orthodontic Correction in Your 50s: Invisalign Lite, Butterfly Teeth, and Front Teeth Correction Review

Hello,

This is Apgujeong Invisalign Orthodontic Clinic.

Many people worry that if they need orthodontic treatment, their gums might get worse.

Even younger adults hesitate for this reason,

and people in their 40s and 50s hesitate even more.

My gums are weak. If I get orthodontic treatment, will my gums get worse?

We actually get this question a lot.

If someone has thin jawbone and receding gums and undergoes full orthodontic treatment that takes 1 to 2 years, that is possible.

The doctor needs to examine everything carefully.

However, in partial orthodontic treatment that only straightens the front teeth, there is not much tooth movement itself, so the likelihood of the gums getting worse because of orthodontics is almost nonexistent.

Of course, there are many cases where patients mistakenly think their gums have collapsed after treatment.

When black triangles become larger after treatment, people may misunderstand it that way.

If the teeth were crooked and crowded for a long time and then become straight, the areas where bone was originally absent finally become visible. It is not that the gums receded because of orthodontic treatment.

Teeth that protrude significantly away from their original alignment often have receding gums.

This is called gingival recession.

But rather, when they are moved back into place after treatment, the receded gums often recover as well.

Let’s focus on this point.

A patient in their 50s visited for orthodontic treatment because the front teeth were gradually protruding and shifting.

They had already completed extraction-based orthodontic treatment a long time ago, but as they aged, the front teeth gradually became misaligned, so they came in for partial correction of the front teeth.

The blue arrow section shows gums that have receded compared to the surrounding teeth.

The reason is that this tooth had deviated the most from the alignment.

If it is moved back into place, the gums may recover.

The two upper front teeth are protruded and rotated.

This is not a formal medical term, but we call this butterfly teeth.

At this level, Invisalign Lite is enough for correction.

Invisalign Lite provides up to 14 aligners per set.

Considering the patient’s age and gum condition, a replacement interval of 10 days instead of the usual 7 days is gentler on the gums.

The time needed to wear all 14 aligners in the first set is about 140 days.

24.01

The alignment has become neat, and through a small amount of interproximal reduction, the black triangles were also reduced.

However, there was a difference in height between the upper front teeth, so we decided to address this in the additional set.

24.01

24.01

This was already good enough, but to aim for 100 points, we made an additional set.

The additional set was worn for three months from February to May, 10 days at a time, and then completed.

24.05

The black triangles of the upper front teeth were reduced through interproximal reduction, but as the crooked lower front teeth became straight, black triangles appeared. We also reduced the size of the black triangles in the lower teeth through interproximal reduction, but it is better to keep interproximal reduction within a range that does not place strain on the teeth.

24.05

The bite you were worried about is also good.

23.07~24.05

23.07~24.05

23.07~24.05

Let’s take a closer look at the tooth whose gums had especially receded because it was the furthest out of alignment.

23.07~24.05

The gingival recession recovered, and root exposure decreased.

In your 40s and 50s, due to the direction of physiological bite forces and as part of the natural aging process, everyone’s front teeth become crooked.

If left untreated, it gets worse and worse.

Please don’t give up thinking it is already too late; at least visit a nearby orthodontic clinic for a consultation.

I hope this was helpful, and I will end the post here.