Teeth Braces For Adults: Are They Right For You?

September 1, 2017

No matter how old you are, it isn’t too late to get the confident smile you’ve always wanted. Braces aren’t just for kids anymore. Braces for adults are a great option for most dental patients.

Even if you wore braces as a kid doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from wearing them again as an adult. Fortunately, as an adult, you no longer have to flash an embarrassing smile full of silver metal just to get straighter teeth. At Total Dental Care of South Carolina , Dr. Doug Forbes can discuss adult braces programs that can work for your benefit.

How Can Teeth Braces Help Me?

  • Correct moving teeth
    • Your teeth don’t stop moving after you go through puberty. In fact, your teeth can shift slightly throughout your life. Braces can help move your teeth back to where they should be.
  • Make your crooked teeth straight
    • You can say goodbye to that crooked smile and hello to a brand new, straight, confident smile.
  • Improved oral health
    • Jagged, crowded, and crooked teeth can be much harder to clean, which means you have a harder time keeping your mouth free from decay and gum disease. If you’re looking for healthier teeth and gums, a straighter smile with teeth braces for adults is the way to go.
  • Pain management
    • Some of you might be experiencing jaw pain caused by the misalignment of your teeth. Braces can help correct that alignment and alleviate pain.

Teeth Braces For Adults: New and Improved Options

When it comes to braces for adults, they’re quite a bit different than the braces you’re used to thinking of. In fact, they’re much harder for others to notice while you’re wearing them.

As an alternative to metal braces, Dr. Forbes offers ClearCorrect and Six Month Smiles as orthodontic options in his practice. So which one is right for you? Learn more about each of them below to find out.

ClearCorrect Braces

ClearCorrect braces are clear aligners that work to gradually straighten your teeth. Each aligner is worn for approximately two weeks and then is replaced with a new one. That process is repeated until your teeth are straight.

How long you have to wear ClearCorrect depends on how severe your misalignment is. The average treatment time is about a year. To work properly, every day the clear aligners must be worn for a specific number of hours.

ClearCorrect braces work well for those patients with gapped teeth, crowded teeth, rotated teeth, and bite problems. You first have to be evaluated by a dentist, like Dr. Forbes, to determine whether ClearCorrect braces can work for you.

Six Month Smiles

Six Month Smiles use clear brackets and tooth-colored titanium wires to make them practically invisible. Six Month Smiles gently forces your teeth into alignment.

However, unlike with some other braces systems, Six Month Smiles only aligns teeth that show when you smile. The goal is improving the appearance of your teeth, not fixing problems with your bite. Six Month Smiles is typically recommended for patients with mild misalignment.

Which Teeth Braces Option Is Right For You?

If your main concern is improving the look of your smile, Six Month Smiles is a great short-term option. If you’re tired of living with bite problems, crowded teeth, and more, ClearCorrect is another great short-term orthodontics option.

The reality is that it’s hard to know which option would work best for you without a consultation with a certified dentist. Dr. Forbes with Total Dental Care of South Carolina is a certified ClearCorrect and Six Month Smiles provider in the Columbia, SC area. Dr. Forbes can examine your teeth and discuss your options with you, to see which option would work best for your teeth.

Costs And Payment For Teeth Braces For Adults

If you’re concerned about how you will pay for your orthodontics, Total Dental Care of South Carolina offers several payment options and payment plans . The CareCredit payment program is an option that doesn’t require a down payment, upfront cost, interest, annual fees, or pre-payment penalties.

The staff at Total Dental Care of South Carolina is more than happy to answer any questions you may have. For more information, give us a call at 803-272-4162.

Smiling man with glasses next to text about dental habit changes. Red logo and design in background.
By Total Dental Care of South Carolina December 15, 2025
Many oral health concerns begin with everyday routines. Total Dental Care of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, offers a closer look at brushing, flossing, and care habits that can be refined to support a stronger, healthier smile as the year wraps up.
Woman smiling, wearing elf ears, with text:
By Total Dental Care of South Carolina December 1, 2025
Holiday gatherings often mean more sweets and acidic drinks. Find out how to protect enamel, prevent cavities, and maintain oral health with guidance from Total Dental Care of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, keeping your smile strong all season.
Smiling child with text
By Total Dental Care of South Carolina November 15, 2025
Learn how dental sealants act as a strong barrier against plaque and decay. At Total Dental Care of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, parents gain insight into how sealants protect molars, encourage healthy habits, and help maintain brighter, stronger smiles.
More Posts