Adult Braces in Perth: What to Expect at Every Stage

You are not a teenager. You have a job, a mortgage, possibly a family. And you are considering braces. If that feels unusual, it shouldn’t — adult orthodontics is one of the fastest-growing areas in our field. Here in Claremont, we see more adults than ever walking through our doors on Stirling Highway. The Australian Society of Orthodontists reports that a significant and increasing proportion of orthodontic patients are adults.

The reasons adults seek treatment vary. Some have had crooked teeth since childhood and finally have the means or motivation to address it. Others have noticed teeth shifting over the years — this happens naturally and can accelerate after wisdom tooth extraction, gum disease, or tooth loss. Some are referred by their dentist because misalignment is making certain teeth hard to clean or contributing to wear.

Whatever the reason, knowing what the process actually looks like — from first consultation to the final retainer — helps you make an informed decision. This is a practical, stage-by-stage guide based on how we approach adult treatment at our Perth practice.

Stage 1: The consultation

Your first visit to a specialist orthodontist is an assessment, not a commitment. Here is what happens at our Claremont practice.

Clinical examination

We examine your teeth, bite, and jaw alignment. We look at how your upper and lower teeth come together, check for crowding, spacing, rotations, and bite discrepancies. We also assess the health of your gums and supporting bone — this is particularly important in adults, as untreated gum disease can affect whether orthodontic treatment is safe to proceed with.

Diagnostic records

We take X-rays and digital scans of your teeth. These give us a complete picture: the position of tooth roots, the health of the bone, and any teeth that may be impacted or missing. Digital scans replace the old-fashioned putty impressions — they are faster, more comfortable, and more accurate.

Discussion and treatment plan

After reviewing your records, we sit down with you and explain what we have found. We discuss:

• What the orthodontic issues are and how they affect your dental health
• Which treatment options are appropriate for your case
• The realistic timeline for each option
• The cost, including payment plan options

If your teeth and gums need attention before orthodontic treatment can begin — decay, gum disease, old restorations — we will coordinate with your general dentist to get that sorted first.

You leave the consultation with a clear understanding of your options. There is no obligation to proceed.

Stage 2: Pre-treatment preparation

For some adults, treatment starts immediately after the consultation. For others, there is preliminary work to do.

Dental health first

Orthodontic treatment works best on a healthy foundation. If you have active gum disease, it needs to be treated and stabilised before we start moving teeth. If there are cavities or failing restorations, your dentist should address those first.

This is not a delay for the sake of it — moving teeth through infected or compromised tissue can cause genuine harm. We will always prioritise the long-term health of your teeth over starting treatment quickly.

Extractions (if needed)

Some adult cases involve crowding severe enough that creating space requires the removal of one or more teeth. This is less common than it once was — modern orthodontics can often expand arches and create space without extractions — but it remains the right approach in certain cases.

If extractions are part of your plan, we will explain why, and your dentist or an oral surgeon will handle them before braces are placed.

Coordinating with your dentist

Adult orthodontics often involves collaboration between the orthodontist and the general dentist. If you need crowns, veneers, or implants, we usually recommend straightening first, restoring second. That way, the new dental work is designed for where the teeth should be, not where they drifted to.

This coordination takes a little planning but produces significantly better long-term results.

Stage 3: Appliance placement

This is the day treatment begins. What happens depends on whether you have chosen fixed braces or clear aligners.

Fixed braces (metal or ceramic)

Brackets are bonded to the front surface of each tooth using dental adhesive. A wire is threaded through the brackets and secured with small elastic ties. The process takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes and is not painful, though it can be tedious to hold your mouth open for that long.

Ceramic braces are placed in the same way as metal braces. The brackets are tooth-coloured, making them significantly less conspicuous.

Within the first few hours, you will start to feel pressure as the wire begins to exert force on your teeth. Expect tenderness for three to five days. Soft foods, over-the-counter pain relief, and orthodontic wax for any spots where brackets rub against your cheeks will get you through this initial period.

Clear aligners

If you have chosen clear aligners, the placement appointment is quicker. We bond small tooth-coloured attachments to specific teeth (not all of them) to help the aligners grip. You receive your first set of trays with instructions on wear schedule (typically 20 to 22 hours per day) and how to progress through the tray sequence.

The first tray will feel tight and may cause mild pressure. This is normal — it means the aligner is working.

Stage 4: Active treatment

This is the longest stage. Depending on case complexity, active treatment runs anywhere from 12 months for straightforward alignment to 24 months or more for comprehensive bite correction.

Adjustment appointments (braces)

Every four to eight weeks, you visit us for an adjustment at our Claremont practice. We replace the wire with a progressively thicker or differently shaped one, adjust elastic configurations, and check that teeth are tracking as planned. Each appointment takes 20 to 40 minutes — many of our patients from Subiaco and Nedlands fit them in during a lunch break or pop into Claremont Quarter while they are in the area.

Some adjustments cause renewed tenderness for a day or two. Others you will barely notice. The pattern becomes familiar.

Progress checks (aligners)

With aligners, appointments are less frequent — typically every six to ten weeks. We check that teeth are tracking with the aligner sequence, replace attachments if needed, and give you the next batch of trays.

Between appointments, you are responsible for changing to new trays on schedule (usually every one to two weeks) and maintaining consistent wear. Compliance is everything with aligners. If you are not wearing them, they are not working.

What to expect day-to-day

Regardless of which option you choose, here is what daily life looks like during treatment:

• Eating: With braces, avoid hard and sticky foods. With aligners, remove them to eat — no restrictions.
• Cleaning: With braces, brushing takes longer and requires an interdental brush or floss threader. With aligners, brush and floss normally, then clean the aligners.
• Speaking: Braces may cause a slight lisp for the first week. Aligners can do the same for a day or two with each new tray. Both resolve quickly.
• Discomfort: Intermittent pressure or tenderness is normal throughout treatment, particularly after adjustments or tray changes. It is manageable and temporary.
• Appearance: This is a practical reality. You will have something on your teeth for one to two years. Metal braces are visible. Ceramic braces are subtle. Aligners are nearly invisible. Choose what you can live with comfortably.

Stage 5: Refinement

Once the major tooth movements are complete, we enter the refinement phase. This is where we fine-tune the result — closing small remaining gaps, perfecting the bite, making minor rotational corrections.

With braces, this may involve changing the wire configuration and adding detail bends. With aligners, it often means a new set of refinement trays based on an updated scan.

Refinement can add a few months to the total treatment time, but it is the difference between a good result and a precise one. We do not cut corners at this stage.

Stage 6: Debond and retainers

The day the braces come off — or the day you finish your last aligner tray — is satisfying. But it is not the end of the orthodontic process. It is the start of retention.

Removing braces

Brackets are gently debonded from the teeth, and any remaining adhesive is cleaned off. The process takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Your teeth will feel smooth and strange for a day or two — you have been used to brackets.

Retainers

Teeth have a strong tendency to drift back towards their original position, particularly in the first year after treatment. Retainers hold them in place. We typically provide:

• Fixed retainers: A thin wire bonded to the back of your front teeth (top, bottom, or both). You cannot feel it from the outside, and it works 24 hours a day without any effort from you.
• Removable retainers: Clear trays similar to aligners, worn at night. We will give you a specific wear schedule.

Retainer wear is not optional. It is the single most important thing you can do to protect the investment you have made in treatment. Teeth that are not retained will move. We are very clear about this with every patient.

Is adult orthodontic treatment worth it?

We hear this question regularly, usually from patients who have been thinking about it for years. The practical benefits are real: properly aligned teeth are easier to clean, which reduces the long-term risk of decay and gum disease. A corrected bite distributes chewing forces more evenly, reducing abnormal wear.

And the aesthetic improvement matters too — not in a superficial way, but in the way it affects how confidently you smile, speak, and present yourself in your professional and personal life. Whether you are meeting clients in the Perth CBD, catching up with friends in Cottesloe, or walking along the Swan River through Kings Park, that confidence matters.

Orthodontic treatment as an adult requires a commitment of time and some adjustment to your routine. But for patients who follow through, the result is a healthier, more functional, and more confident smile that lasts — provided you wear your retainers.

If you have been considering treatment, the next step is a consultation. We see patients from across Perth at our Claremont practice — Nedlands, Cottesloe, Dalkeith, Subiaco, Mosman Park, Swanbourne, and the wider western suburbs. We are at 7/355 Stirling Highway, opposite Christ Church Grammar School. Call (08) 6288 7188 or book online and we will give you an honest evaluation of what treatment could do for you.

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Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.