Quickly Fixing Midlife Tooth Spacing in Your 50s and 60s with Short-Term Orthodontic Treatment

Hello,

This is Apgujeong Orthodontic Clinic.

As people get older, some people’s teeth become spaced apart.

They can also become crooked.

This is because the periodontal tissues weaken, and the gums and jawbone can no longer hold the teeth firmly in place.

This can begin as early as the 30s, and usually by the 40s, it is a natural part of the aging process.

If left untreated, it gradually gets worse, and later it may become difficult to resolve even with orthodontic treatment.

If the teeth have not shifted too much yet, quick and simple correction is possible.

I recommend not missing the timing and getting a consultation at a nearby orthodontic clinic.

Orthodontic treatment is usually thought to take 1 to 2 years, so many people feel hesitant to start. But in many cases, the treatment period is shorter than expected.

Among the many types of malocclusion, are there cases where Invisalign works faster and better than wire braces?

Tooth spacing.

Today, I’ll show you a case of a patient in their 60s whose spaced teeth were neatly corrected with Invisalign in just 6 months.

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When patients come in because their teeth have gradually become spaced apart, if the spacing has worsened rapidly in a short time, it is often due to gum inflammation rather than aging.

In particular, teeth with inflammation, as shown in the photo, not only protrude further forward over time but also move downward.

So if the cause of the spacing is gum inflammation, the gum inflammation must be treated first before orthodontic treatment.

That way, side effects when moving the teeth can be reduced, and the risk of recurrence after orthodontic treatment is also lowered.

After careful gum treatment, we began Invisalign treatment.

The molar bite was originally in good condition, so we proceeded strategically while maintaining the original bite.

Unlike younger patients, people who have had the same bite for decades develop strong adaptation, so if the molar bite changes, they often feel very uncomfortable.

Midlife orthodontics must be approached a little differently from orthodontic treatment for younger people.

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During Invisalign treatment, attachments are needed on the teeth.

The clear dividing line between the past, when Invisalign did not work well, and the present is the presence or absence of these attachments.

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The treatment was completed after 6 months.

After the first phase of Invisalign treatment, it is often necessary to make additional appliances to correct detailed points, but because the patient wore the appliances very well and the tooth movement was smooth, we were able to finish without any additional appliances.

The patient said they were disappointed that orthodontic treatment ended so quickly.

It was too much to do with Invisalign Lite, so we used Invisalign Comprehensive with a 5-year warranty.

Since the treatment ended quickly without any additional appliances, they may have felt both relieved and a little regretful.

But what is the difference between Invisalign and Invisalign Lite?

The warranty period is 5 years.

Even if slight relapse occurs because maintenance was neglected, it can be reordered within 5 years as a kind of additional appliance.

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The front teeth, which had gradually spaced apart and protruded, moved back and found their proper position again.

With the right treatment plan, the right number of properly placed attachments, strategic staging for each tooth, and small accumulated techniques, the fastest and best results are achieved.