Regardless of your age, braces can successfully correct your crooked or crowded teeth, or an over or under bite. Because properly aligned teeth are both functionally and aesthetically important, more and more adults are using corrective orthodontics.

Most orthodontic treatment begins in the early teens, when all of the permanent teeth, except the wisdom teeth, are in place. Minor misalignments may be treated around age eight, with a removable headgear appliance.

Orthodontics is the field of dentistry that deals with the correction and straightening of abnormally positioned teeth such as crowded or crooked teeth, over and under bites, or misaligned jaws.

Insurance coverage for braces and orthodontics varies in regard to the different types of policies. Most policies may apply to both children and adults, and will usually cover at least 50 percent of the cost of the procedure.