Discreet options · weekend visits
Orthodontics for Adults
Teeth move at any age, and many adults choose orthodontic treatment. Treatment now is quieter, more comfortable and easier to fit around a working life than the braces you remember from school. Treatment runs at our Beaconsfield clinic, close to Berwick, Officer and Pakenham.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Sofia Monter, general dentist with additional orthodontic training · Reviewed October 2026
Weekend appointments: orthodontics and airway checks now run on Saturdays and Sundays.
At a Glance
- Age limit: none; healthy teeth and gums are what matter.
- Discreet options: clear aligners or ceramic braces.
- Typical length: 12 to 24 months for most courses.
- Comes first: a gum health check.
- Appointments: Saturdays and Sundays available.
- Typical cost: most orthodontic and airway treatments here cost $4,000 to $9,750, with an approximate quote at your free consultation.
How Adult Treatment Differs
Adult jaws have finished growing, so treatment focuses on aligning the teeth and the bite rather than guiding growth. Adult bone also remodels more slowly than a teenager’s, so movements are planned gently, though research has found adult courses take about as long as teenagers’ on average (Abbing et al., 2020). Neither changes what is achievable; it changes how we plan.
One thing comes first in every adult case: gum health. Moving teeth through inflamed gums risks damage, so we check and stabilise your periodontal health before orthodontic work begins. If you have crowns, implants or missing teeth, the plan is designed around them from the start.
This page is part of our orthodontics in Beaconsfield guide, which explains how we plan every case around breathing and jaw development.
Your Discreet Options
- Clear aligners. A popular adult choice: removable, nearly invisible, and kind to a diary full of meetings. Read the honest assessment.
- Ceramic braces. Fixed and tooth-coloured, for corrections that reward the precision of braces without the metal look. Compare the options.
Breathing, Grinding and Jaw Comfort
Adults come to us with more than crooked teeth: snoring, broken sleep, clenching, grinding, jaw ache. As part of an adult orthodontic assessment we screen for these patterns and consider them in the plan. We do not diagnose sleep disorders. Where your history suggests a sleep-related breathing problem, we refer you to your GP or a sleep physician for proper assessment and are glad to work alongside them.
Fitting Treatment Around Work
Orthodontic visits are short and regular, which is exactly what makes them hard on a work calendar. Our orthodontic and airway appointments now run on Saturdays and Sundays, so a course of treatment no longer has to cost you annual leave. Most orthodontic and airway treatments at Inline Smiles Dental & Orthodontics cost between $4,000 and $9,750, depending on the treatment and how complex the case is. Interest-free payment plans spread the cost, and the free consultation gives you options and pricing before any commitment.
Good to know
Common Questions
Am I too old at 40, 50, 60?
No. The requirements are healthy teeth, healthy gums and a plan that respects them. Age alone rules nothing out.
How long will it take?
Simple corrections can finish within a year; typical adult courses run twelve to twenty-four months. You will get an honest estimate at consultation, not a sales figure.
Will my health fund cover any of it?
Many extras policies include orthodontic benefits with waiting periods and lifetime limits. Check your policy; we provide itemised quotes and claim what we can on the spot.
Do adults need retainers too?
Yes, and adults are often the most diligent wearers. Teeth drift lifelong, and retention protects the investment you just made.
It Is Not Too Late. It Never Was.
A free orthodontic and airway consultation, on a weekend if that suits, with honest advice about your options.
The free orthodontic and airway consultation includes a discussion of your concerns, a visual examination, general information about suitable options and an approximate plan and quote. It does not include diagnostic records, X-rays, photographs or a formal diagnosis; these are quoted separately if you choose to proceed, and your plan and quote may change if they show anything not visible at the examination. No obligation. One complimentary consultation per person. Orthodontic treatment is provided by general dentists with additional orthodontic training.
The research behind this page
- Marcus CL, et al. Diagnosis and management of childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Pediatrics, 2012. (Referenced for referral pathways in sleep-disordered breathing.)
- Abbing A, et al. Duration of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances in adolescents and adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Progress in Orthodontics, 2020.
Inline Smiles Dental & Orthodontics: orthodontic treatment provided by our experienced general dentists. Where specialist care is in your best interest, we will tell you and refer you. This page is general information only, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment recommendation. Research findings describe groups, and individual results vary; suitability for any treatment is assessed individually.