Adults sometimes believe that seeing an orthodontist is something you only do as a child or teen. Indeed, a good portion of orthodontists' patients are children and teens who need braces and retainers. However, they do also see adults, and there are adults who can benefit from seeing an orthodontist. Here are some signs that you, as an adult, could benefit from seeing an orthodontist.

Your teeth are shifting.

Maybe you had braces as a child and they straightened your teeth, but now, you notice that your teeth are beginning to move back into their old positions. This happens quite often, especially if you do not continue to wear a retainer into adulthood. When this does occur, you can see an orthodontist. They will come up with a way to move your teeth back into line. Sometimes, that might mean wearing braces for a few months as a touch-up. Other times, it may mean wearing invisible aligners for a little while.

You're having jaw pain.

Do you ever have jaw pain, particularly in the area where your jaw meets your cranium, under your ears? This is known as TMJ pain as that joint is called the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ. While TMJ pain can have numerous origins, it does commonly originate from poor bite alignment. In other words, your teeth may not be lining up properly, which is causing you to hold your jaw in a way that puts too much strain on the TMJ. An orthodontist can work with you to realign your teeth, which should take the strain off your jaw. Sometimes you might need braces to do this, but often invisible aligners will do the trick.

You've noticed you have trouble biting into things.

Do you feel like you have trouble lining your teeth up or applying enough force to take a big bite out of an apple, sandwich, or another large item? This could be because your front teeth are no longer lining up the way that they should. Your orthodontist can identify which teeth are out of line and use a variety of methods to move them back into place. Sometimes, this might be just a couple of brackets and bands on the affected teeth.

The signs above all indicate that you should see an orthodontist soon. They do treat adults, and in fact, they are the best professionals to take good care of some adult tooth and jaw problems. 

For more information, contact a local company like Blooming Smiles.