Is there an age limit for orthodontic treatment?
No. The NHS notes that, although braces are often recommended for teenagers, adults can have them too. The British Orthodontic Society (BOS) says teeth can be moved at any age as long as the teeth and gums are healthy, and that the number of adults seeking treatment is increasing. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) says about one in three orthodontic patients is an adult, and explains that teeth move in response to the forces placed on them over time, however old you are.
For adults, then, the real question is not “How old am I?” but “Are my teeth, gums and jaws ready for treatment?” This article focuses on the issues that matter most for adults, including what months of treatment mean if you live far from the clinic treating you.
Why do adults seek orthodontic treatment?
Appearance is only part of it. The reasons that come up in the sources include:
- Teeth that shift with age: According to the AAO, teeth can naturally shift as we get older, and this can harm oral health.
- Relapse after treatment in childhood: BOS describes teeth tending to return to where they came from after treatment as one of the most common problems. Adults who notice their teeth crowding again years after they stopped wearing a retainer belong to this group.
- Cleaning difficulties and wear: The AAO says misaligned teeth make cleaning harder and increase plaque build-up, and can also cause uneven wear of the enamel. BOS points out that correctly aligned teeth are much easier to keep clean with brushing and flossing.
- Missing, filled or worn teeth: The AAO says orthodontists take fillings and missing, misshapen or worn teeth into account when they plan treatment. If you are also thinking about replacing a missing tooth, our page on dental implants explains how that treatment is planned.
- Preparing for other treatment: The European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) says that treating advanced gum disease requires periodontists to work with other specialists, such as orthodontists and prosthodontists. Its guideline lists orthodontic treatment of tilted molars among the options that may be considered.
Can someone who has had gum disease have orthodontic treatment?
Yes, but the order matters. Information from Leeds Teaching Hospitals states that orthodontics is only possible if there is no tooth decay or gum disease and the teeth and gums are cleaned properly.
Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) can make teeth lengthen, drift and fan out. The EFP’s summary of its guideline on stage IV periodontitis says this kind of drifting can be corrected with orthodontic treatment. Its recommendations can be summarised as follows:
- Orthodontic treatment starts once the goals of gum treatment have been reached, which means deep, bleeding gum pockets must be under control.
- During orthodontic treatment, the gums are checked, ideally at every orthodontic appointment.
- If gum disease flares up again, active orthodontic treatment is interrupted and resumes once the gums are healthy again.
- After treatment, supportive gum care and retention continue with no set end date.
If you notice bleeding or receding gums, mention it before your orthodontic assessment. If you have had gum treatment in your home country, bring recent X-rays and details of that treatment with you; they help whoever assesses you understand your starting point.
What is different when treatment is planned for an adult?
The points the AAO lists for adult patients can be summarised like this:
| Topic | Why it matters in adults |
|---|---|
| Growth has finished | Adults are no longer growing, and because adult bone is more mature and dense, treatment can take a little longer than for a child with a similar problem |
| The current state of the mouth | Fillings, missing, misshapen or worn teeth and any dental disease are assessed |
| Medicines and habits | Medicines and habits such as smoking, clenching or grinding and tongue thrusting can influence the result |
| Working with other dentists | Some adults need care from dentists working in gum treatment, root canal treatment or oral surgery as well |
| Length of treatment and visits | Mildly misaligned teeth usually take around 8 to 12 months, while more complex cases can take a few years; visits are usually scheduled every 6 to 8 weeks |
These figures are a general guide and vary from person to person. If you clench or grind your teeth, mention it at your examination, as it is one of the habits the AAO says can affect the result.
How often are appointments needed, and what if you live abroad?
Orthodontic treatment is not a single visit. The NHS says fixed braces usually stay in place for one to two years, with an appointment every 6 to 8 weeks so the orthodontist can adjust them. BOS says appointments are usually needed every four to ten weeks and advises that it is not wise to start treatment if you know you will not be able to keep them. For adults who have had gum disease, the EFP adds gum check-ups, ideally at every orthodontic appointment.
This matters more if you live outside Türkiye. Crowns or veneers can often be completed in one trip, but orthodontic treatment usually means several trips spread over many months. Before you decide, it is worth asking:
- how often you would need to come back, and how check-ups would be arranged in between
- what would happen if a bracket came loose or an aligner stopped fitting while you are at home
- who would carry out routine dental check-ups during treatment; the NHS advises keeping up regular check-ups while you wear braces
Our page on planning your visit gives a general guide to how many trips different treatments need.
When is jaw surgery needed for a jaw discrepancy?
In some adults, the problem is not just how the teeth are lined up but the size or position of the upper and lower jaws. The AAO says surgical orthodontics (orthognathic surgery) is generally recommended for adults with a severe problem with the position of the teeth and jaws that cannot be corrected by orthodontics alone. It is carried out once the jaws have finished growing, which the AAO puts at usually the late teens to early twenties. A jaw surgeon performs the operation, working together with the orthodontist. According to BOS, jaw surgery aims to correct the bite and change the facial profile; some plans aim for minimal change to the face, while others bring a more noticeable change.
In this treatment, the teeth are first prepared with braces. A leaflet from Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley explains that the teeth need to be moved beforehand so that they meet properly once the jaws are in their new position; the braces stay on for a while after the operation so the bite can be fine-tuned, and frequent, regular orthodontic appointments are needed throughout. University Hospitals Bristol describes a team of orthodontists, surgeons, speech and language therapists and psychologists working together. Whether you need jaw surgery is decided after an examination and a review of your records.
What are the risks of orthodontic treatment in adults?
Like any treatment, orthodontics has possible risks. The information from Leeds Teaching Hospitals lists:
- shortening of the tooth roots
- loss of gum and bone around the teeth (gum recession)
- teeth moving again after treatment, unless retainers are worn to keep the result
The NHS advises against eating too much sugary food and drink during treatment because it can cause tooth decay, and recommends seeking advice if your gums become very red, swollen or painful.
Another issue that comes up in adults is the small triangular gaps that can appear between the front teeth when the gum between them becomes less full (“black triangles”). In a retrospective study of 97 patients treated at a hospital in Korea (Jung and colleagues, 2024), these gaps were clearly more common in adults than in adolescents, and age and tooth extraction were associated with them. This is a single study, but it is still worth discussing the possibility with your dentist before treatment.
Which treatment options are available for adults?
According to the AAO, the most common appliances in adult orthodontics are braces and clear aligners. Less noticeable options include ceramic braces, which blend in with the colour of the teeth, and lingual braces, which are fixed to the inner surfaces of the teeth. The AAO stresses that not every type of appliance suits every orthodontic problem.
BOS describes aligners as ideally suited to adult patients and says they are most commonly used where the teeth need aligning without extractions. Severe crowding, extractions, complex tooth movements and problems with the size or position of the jaws may require additional techniques, such as fixed braces. BOS also describes limited treatment that involves only the six front teeth in one or both jaws. The same organisation warns of serious risks with ‘DIY’ orthodontics, where teeth are straightened at home without an examination by a dentist or orthodontist.
Which option suits you is decided at the examination.
How does an adult orthodontic assessment work at Rönesans?
Orthodontics is one of our clinic’s departments, and this includes clear aligner treatment. The assessment starts with an examination of your teeth, gums, jaws and bite. The impressions needed for planning can be taken with an intraoral scanner, without impression paste, and where necessary, 3D imaging is carried out with the cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanner at our clinic. Whether orthodontic treatment is suitable, which method to use and whether any other treatment is needed first are decided at the examination. Ceramic and lingual braces are described in this article as general information; whether they suit you and can be planned at our clinic is assessed at the examination. Implant, prosthetic and root canal treatment are also among our departments, so treatment that may be needed before or after orthodontics can be planned at the same clinic.
If treatment is needed, we give you a written treatment and cost plan showing the procedures and the unit and total costs, and you know from the start which of our dentists will look after you. The cost is confirmed after the examination, based on your treatment plan. Follow-up after treatment runs as a defined process at our clinic. We are open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 22:00 and on Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00, Türkiye time.
Because orthodontic treatment usually means several trips over many months, ask us how check-ups would work before you decide to start. We communicate in English and German. Before you travel, you can send photos and X-rays on WhatsApp for a preliminary assessment, or write to us through our contact page; the final plan is made only after an in-person examination.