Crowding that crept in
Lower front teeth tend to crowd gradually through adult life. A small overlap at 25 can be a clear twist at 45, and overlapping teeth trap plaque. See crooked and crowded teeth.
Adult orthodontics
Orthodontics for Adults in Dubai
Teeth can move at 25, 45 or 65 if the gums and bone around them are healthy. Adult treatment is planned around what your mouth already has: fillings, crowns, implants and gum history.
- Two specialist orthodontists
- Fixed braces or Invisalign
- Gums and bone checked before teeth move
The first visit is an assessment with a specialist orthodontist: examination, records and your options explained before any commitment.
No upper age limitGum and bone health decide whether teeth can move, not the year you were born.
Quick answer
Can adults have orthodontic treatment?
Yes. Teeth move through bone at any age, so orthodontics has no upper age limit; what matters is healthy gums and enough bone support. At Creative Arts in Dubai, a specialist orthodontist checks gum and bone health first, then plans fixed braces or Invisalign clear aligners around any crowns, implants or missing teeth. Adult treatment usually takes 12–24 months and is followed by long-term retainers.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
Why adults start
Why do adults come for orthodontic treatment?
Few adults come only because their teeth were never straightened. Usually something has changed, or other dental work depends on where the teeth sit.
Teeth that moved after teenage braces
Relapse is common once retainers stop being worn. A short, limited course often realigns the front teeth, and a new retainer holds them this time.
Spacing after gum disease
When gum disease has reduced bone support, front teeth can drift and fan out. Once the gums are treated and stable, they can often be realigned with light forces and permanent retention.
A bite that is wearing teeth down
A deep bite or crossbite can chip and flatten teeth over years. Correcting it first protects later repairs — see overbite correction and crossbite correction.
At a glance
Adult orthodontics at Creative Arts in brief
- Who treats you
- Specialist orthodontists Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz and Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko
- Age limit
- None set by age; gum health and bone support decide
- Before any tooth moves
- Gum assessment and X-rays; gum disease treated and stable first
- Appliances
- Fixed (metal) braces or Invisalign clear aligners, with elastics or temporary anchorage devices where needed
- Typical length
- Usually 12–24 months; limited cases shorter, jaw-relationship cases longer
- After treatment
- Bonded and/or removable retainers, usually for the long term
- Where
- 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Dubai — open daily 10:00–20:00
Gums and bone first
Why adult orthodontics starts with your gums, not your teeth
A tooth moves because the bone around its root is gradually reshaped. That works at any age, but only when gum and bone are healthy; moving teeth through inflamed gums can speed up bone loss. So an adult assessment begins with the supporting tissues.
- Gum check: pocket depths, bleeding and recession are recorded. Active gum disease is treated and allowed to settle before any appliance is fitted.
- Bone level: X-rays show how much bone supports each root. Teeth with reduced support can still move, with lighter forces and more conservative goals.
- Thin gums: where gum is thin or already receding, some movements are limited or a gum opinion comes first.
- Medical history: diabetes control, smoking and some bone-affecting medicines, such as certain osteoporosis treatments, change how teeth respond.
During treatment, cleaning with braces or aligners keeps the gums stable.
Choosing an appliance
Fixed braces or Invisalign as an adult?
Both work in adults. The choice follows the movements your teeth need first, and your working life second.
| Fixed (metal) braces | Invisalign clear aligners | |
|---|---|---|
| At work and in meetings | Brackets are visible when you talk | Near-invisible; trays come out for meals |
| Speech | Lips adapt within days | A slight lisp is common for the first days |
| Complex movements | Most predictable for large rotations, uprighting tipped back teeth and closing extraction spaces | Handle many adult cases; some movements are less predictable |
| Daily discipline | Nothing to remember; careful cleaning around brackets | Worn about 20–22 hours a day; only water with trays in |
| Coffee, tea and business meals | No trays to remove; avoid hard and sticky food | Trays out for anything but water; brush before refitting |
More detail: Invisalign vs braces and how many hours a day aligners need. Tooth-coloured (ceramic) and lingual braces are not listed as treatments here; ask at your consultation if you are interested in them.
Combined plans
Straightening teeth before crowns, veneers or implants
For many adults, orthodontics is the first step of a larger plan. Moving teeth into place first can make restorative work smaller, safer or simply possible:
- Fewer or thinner veneers: aligning crowded front teeth first means less enamel is removed — see veneers for crooked teeth for where that line falls.
- Room for an implant: a back tooth that has tipped into an old gap can be uprighted so a single tooth implant or bridge fits properly.
- Even spaces: uneven gaps are redistributed so each replacement tooth is a natural width.
Implants cannot be moved by orthodontics because they are fused to the bone, so the order matters: tooth movement first, implants and final restorations after. Your orthodontist and restorative dentist agree the final tooth positions before treatment starts.
Honest expectations
What adults should know before starting orthodontics
Adult treatment carries a few trade-offs, explained before you commit.
Usually ready to plan treatment
- Gums are healthy, or gum disease has been treated and is stable
- Decay and failing fillings have been dealt with
- You can commit to cleaning, review visits and, with aligners, the daily wear time
- You accept that retainers are needed for the long term
Discussed or treated first
- Bleeding gums or deep gum pockets — gum treatment comes first
- Small dark triangles may appear near the gum when overlapping teeth are aligned
- Slight root shortening is a known risk of tooth movement and is monitored where relevant
- Brackets on crowns or veneers need special bonding; a restoration occasionally needs replacing afterwards
- Jaw pain or clicking is assessed separately at a TMJ assessment; orthodontics is not a jaw-pain cure
The process
How adult orthodontic treatment is planned, step by step
The sequence is similar for most adults; each stage's length depends on your gums, bite and other dental work. The first visit is described on our orthodontic consultation page.
Gum and bone check
Gum measurements and X-rays. Any gum disease is treated and given time to settle before teeth are moved.
FirstRecords and diagnosis
Photographs, a 3D intraoral scan, a panoramic X-ray and often a cephalometric X-ray show whether the problem is the teeth, the jaws or both.
Visit 1–2One agreed plan
If crowns, veneers or implants are part of the result, the orthodontist and restorative dentist agree the final positions. You receive a written plan.
Written planActive treatment
Braces fitted or aligners started, with review visits every few weeks and professional cleaning along the way.
Usually 12–24 monthsRetention and finishing work
Retainers go in when treatment ends. Planned crowns, bonding or implants follow once the teeth are stable in their new positions.
Long term
When the jaws, not the teeth, are the problem
Adults have no growth left to guide. If a bite problem comes from the size or position of the jaws, moving teeth can disguise it but not correct it. For some adults the predictable route is orthodontics plus corrective jaw surgery, planned by our specialist orthodontists with Dr. Firas Osman, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist; the operation takes place under general anaesthesia in a hospital. See surgical orthodontics.
Who treats you
Specialist orthodontists who treat adults here
Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz's work includes complex adult cases and reviewing previous treatment; Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko treats with braces and aligners, with a focus on TMJ and jaw function.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Is there an age limit for orthodontic treatment as an adult?
No age is too old in itself. Teeth move through bone throughout life, so adults in their 40s, 50s and beyond can be treated. Suitability depends on gum health and the bone around each tooth, which is why an adult assessment includes a gum check and X-rays before any appliance is discussed.
Can adults with gum disease or bone loss have braces or aligners?
Often yes, but not while gum disease is active. The gums are treated first and must be stable before teeth are moved. Teeth with reduced bone support can still be moved with lighter forces and more modest goals, and usually need permanent retention afterwards.
Does adult orthodontic treatment take longer than for teenagers?
Sometimes a little. Adult bone is denser and there is no growth to help bite correction, so similar movements can take longer. Many adult cases still fall within 12–24 months, and limited treatment of the front teeth can be shorter. Your written plan gives the estimate for your case.
Can I have adult orthodontics if I have crowns, veneers or implants?
Usually. Brackets and aligner attachments can be bonded to crowns and veneers with special preparation, though a restoration occasionally needs replacing afterwards. Implants cannot be moved, so the plan works around them, or orthodontics is completed before an implant is placed.
Will straightening my teeth as an adult leave black triangles between them?
It can. When overlapping teeth are aligned, a small dark triangle sometimes appears near the gum because the gum between them does not fully fill the new space; it is more likely where bone has been lost. Slight reshaping between the teeth or small composite additions can reduce it.
Do adults need to wear retainers for life after orthodontic treatment?
For most adults, long-term retention is the realistic advice. Teeth keep changing slowly throughout life, and teeth with reduced bone support drift more easily. A thin bonded wire behind the front teeth, a removable retainer worn at night, or both, hold the result.
My teeth moved after the braces I had as a teenager — is adult orthodontics worth it?
Often, and treatment is frequently shorter than the first course because only part of the correction has been lost. The orthodontist checks what has moved and why, then explains whether a limited course with aligners or braces, followed by a retainer you keep wearing, would bring the teeth back.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
OrthodonticsOrthodontist in DubaiBraces, Invisalign and bite correction with specialist orthodontists.AlignersInvisalign clear alignersHow aligner treatment is planned and monitored.First visitYour first orthodontic consultationExamination, scans, X-rays and the written plan.Jaw casesSurgical orthodonticsBraces with jaw surgery when the jaws are the cause.RetentionRetainers and teeth shifting after bracesKeeping the result, and what to do if teeth moved.GuideHow long do braces take?Typical ranges and what changes them.
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- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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