Adult Orthodontics in Antioch and Brentwood
Reviewed by Dr. Brent E. Sexton
About one in four orthodontic patients is an adult, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, and that share has been climbing for years. At Delta Smiles, we welcome adult patients at both offices.
Adults usually come to us for one of three reasons. You never had braces and always wanted them. You had braces as a teenager, and noticed your teeth shifting over the years. Or a dentist has told you that your bite is causing a problem you can feel, in wear, in cleaning or in your jaw. All three are treatable, usually more easily than you expect.
What Adult Treatment Involves
The mechanics are the same at 40 as at 14. Teeth move through bone in response to steady, gentle force, and they do that at any age. What changes is the context around them.
- Growth is finished. With a child, we can guide jaw development. With an adult, we work with the skeleton as it is. For most cases, that changes nothing. For a significant skeletal discrepancy, it can mean a combined plan with an oral surgeon, and if you’re in that category, you’ll know it at the exam. See surgical orthodontics.
- There’s usually existing dental work. Crowns, bridges, implants, fillings, gum recession, a history of periodontal disease. All of it is manageable, and all of it has to be accounted for before we start, not discovered halfway through. Implants in particular don’t move, so they become fixed points the plan has to work around.
- Gums come first. Active gum disease has to be under control before teeth are moved, because moving teeth through inflamed tissue makes the problem worse. If your gums need attention, we’ll say so and coordinate with your dentist or a periodontist before starting.
- Bites change over decades. Wear, grinding, a lost tooth, a tooth that drifted into the gap. Adult treatment often has to rebuild a functional bite, not just line up the front teeth.
Your Options as an Adult
- Clear aligners. The most common choice among our adult patients: removable, close to invisible, and well suited to mild and moderate crowding, spacing and relapse. They ask real discipline about wear time, which most adults manage easily. How aligners work.
- Clear ceramic braces. Tooth-colored brackets, full braces control. The right answer when a case needs more than aligners can deliver but visibility matters.
- Metal braces. Still the most versatile and most economical option, and still the right recommendation for some cases. Self-ligating brackets are available too. Compare all options.
We’ll say which of these suits your case. Where two would both work, the choice is yours.
Treatment Alongside Other Dental Work
A good number of our adult patients arrive on a dentist’s recommendation, because straightening the teeth first improves what comes after. Aligning a tilted molar before it’s crowned, opening space properly before an implant is placed, or leveling a bite before a full reconstruction all produce a better and longer-lasting result.
We work with your dentist on sequence and timing, and we’re used to coordinating with prosthodontists, periodontists and oral surgeons. If your dentist has a plan, bring it and we’ll build around it.
Why Adults in This Area Choose Us
- Adult cases get two specialists. Dr. Brent Sexton and Dr. Tiffany Louie are both orthodontists by training and by practice, and an adult case carrying restorations, wear or a previous course of braces is one they will often look at together.
- Scanning, not putty. Digital 3D scans replace impression trays, which most adults appreciate more than any other single thing we do. Our technology.
- Appointments that fit a working week. Adult treatment usually means visits every four to eight weeks, and aligner patients often come less. We book around commutes where we can.
- Straight answers about cost. The exam is free, you know the full fee before you decide, and there are no-interest in-house payment plans on the balance. We accept all dental insurance plans and will help you use any adult orthodontic benefits your plan includes. Insurance and financing.
What Adult Treatment Achieves
Beyond appearance, which is a perfectly good reason on its own:
- Teeth that are easier to clean, which matters more at 45 than at 15
- Less uneven wear, and less of the damage that follows it
- Better chewing and, in some cases, relief from jaw strain
- A stable foundation for future dental work
- A protection of the dental investment you’ve already made
Book a Free Adult Consultation
Call (925) 754-3197 in Antioch or (925) 513-9320 in Brentwood, or request an appointment. About an hour, no charge, and a clear plan with the full cost settled before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
More adults than ever are choosing orthodontic treatment to improve their smile, oral health, and confidence. Below are answers to some of the most common questions adults ask when considering braces or Invisalign®.
Am I too old for braces?
No. There’s no upper age limit on tooth movement, and we’ve treated patients into their eighties. What matters is the health of the gums and bone, not the number.
I have crowns, veneers, or implants. Can I still be treated?
Usually yes. Crowned and veneered teeth move normally. Implants don’t move at all, so they become anchors the plan works around, which is a design consideration, not an obstacle. We’ll map it all at the exam.
Do I need gum treatment before starting any orthodontic treatment in Antioch and Brentwood, CA?
Sometimes. We have to stabilize active periodontal disease first because moving teeth through inflamed tissue accelerates bone loss. If that applies to you, we’ll coordinate with your dentist and start once it’s controlled.
Does adult treatment take longer than a teenager's?
Slightly, in some cases, because bone remodels a little more slowly and adult cases are often more complicated to begin with. The difference is usually measured in a few months, not years.
Will treatment help if my teeth have shifted since previous braces?
Very likely, and often quickly, since most of the original correction is still holding. That’s a common enough case that it has its own page: complex cases and retreatment.