Metal Mouth Message Board

I was wondering if age is a significant factor in how quickly teeth move. Does anyone know for sure?

And does everyone notice changes/movement within the first week?

I don't think that age matters. Sure getting braces at a younger age is better in terms that more can be done and the perfect occlusion is easier to achieve...but the movement...it really depends on your gums and tissue and all that.

I didn't see any movement in my first week...but the wire had gotten longer so there was movement...Sometimes you can't see movement but you can feel a change...

My ortho told me that age matters. When you get older, your bones become more fixed and rigid, so it takes longer, I think.

Age (and genetics!) absolutely affect things. The age can have an impact on the density of the bone which the roots must travel through to reach the desired location.

I'm sure age matters, but I definetly think that it is largely dependent on your genetics, and overall oral health, and bone density. I have seen some people my age who have been in braces for years because their teeth just move very slowly. Mine however, are moving very rapidly.....as fast or faster than my 14 year old sons. Especcially since they put the springs and new archwire on. I had the SARPE procedure recently so I only have the flexible wire on top, but my teeth have all pretty much come into alignment on the top now and my gap is closing up amazingly well with no help also.

I'm no spring chicken (42) so I think it is largely individual for each person, and I'm not so much sure that the age factor is the major component of movement. JMHO

Brandy

So is the bone more or less dense when we're younger? I was under the impression that with age we lose bone so it's gotta be less dense and easier to move teeth?

I saw movement in the first 4-5 days. So now I'm hoping maybe my treatment time can be shortened since things are moving quickly Wishful thinking, I know. A friend of mine who had braces at 27 said that things slow down after awhile, party p**per.

I think it has something to do with the actual composition of bone in adults being different. Plus I figure, that my teeth have been in the same place for a long time now. Like most things that become comfortable they are resisitant to change. I think it takes awhile( a transition period if you will) to force them out of their comfort zone. Whereas kids mouths are much more malleable. They are used to having teeth come out and things shifting around regularly whereas adults are not. I think we would all like to be out of braces faster, but I think it sorta is what it is. Your teeth will move at the speed they are most comfortable with and in the time frame they are comfortable with. I think there is a greater risk as an adult with root issues if things are moved to rapidly also!

Brandy

I thought about this as well. I am thirty now. If I had recieved treatment 20 years ago more could have been accomplished because at age 10 the body is much more flexible. Sounds logical doesn't it? But on the other hand now in the year 2006 I am able to benefit from 20 years of medical and technological progress! I guess it is really hard to guess what really could have been or could not have been. Maybe it is more likely that they would have messed up my teeth completely, especially when I think about thos wisdoms that caused hell to break loose at age 26.

And generally speaking, the ortho is a little more aggressive with treatment of adults. Most adults go in every 3-4 weeks for adjustments while kids have more time between adjustments, typically 6-8 weeks.

I'm 26 but will be going for checks every 7-8 weeks. I'd love to go every 3-4 weeks to make things go faster!

My ortho is the same for adults or kids. My son and I have self ligating brackets so our adjustments are every 8 weeks. WE go together and its no different time wise between the adjustments....just every 8 weeks.

Brandy

phanta wrote:So is the bone more or less dense when we're younger? I was under the impression that with age we lose bone so it's gotta be less dense and easier to move teeth?

I saw movement in the first 4-5 days. So now I'm hoping maybe my treatment time can be shortened since things are moving quickly Wishful thinking, I know. A friend of mine who had braces at 27 said that things slow down after awhile, party p**per.

We lose bone density as we get older, which is why you often hear about elderly people breaking their hips.

Here's a quote from an article:
Normally, bone density accumulates during childhood and reaches a peak by around age 25. Bone density is then maintained for about ten years. After age 35, both men and women will normally lose 0.3 to 0.5% of their bone density per year as part of the aging process.

During a consult an ortho told me that higher bone density means that your teeth might move more slowly. He also said that ethnic background affects your bone density, which is something that a friend of mine learned when she was in chiropractic school. A black or Hispanic person's bones are more dense than an Asian or white person's bones.

Gender also affects bone density - men have a higher bone density than women, which is why women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis.

Age is a factor, but only to a point. Just because you're older doesn't guarantee you'll have a longer treatment-maybe you'll get lucky and get a short treatment!

And, as I know well, just because you're younger doesn't mean you'll have a shorter treatment

Eve

Age is a factor, but only to a point. Just because you're older doesn't guarantee you'll have a longer treatment-maybe you'll get lucky and get a short treatment!

And, as I know well, just because you're younger doesn't mean you'll have a shorter treatment

Eve

oops sorry for the double post, some debug error came up and messed everything up