Do you dream of having the perfect smile? Having crooked or crowded teeth can make you self-conscious about your smile, and can also hinder your dental hygiene, which can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, or other issues with oral health.
If your teeth are crowded, protrusive, spaced too far apart, meet in an abnormal way, or do not meet at all, correction may be recommended. Braces and aligners are the “appliances” orthodontists most commonly use to guide your teeth into their proper positions. Retainers preserve and stabilize the results of your orthodontic treatment.
It is never too late to get braces
Aside from the pleasing aesthetic of a beautifully straight smile, correcting malocclusion and teeth misalignment with braces is beneficial for a number of other reasons:
Reduced Tooth Decay and gum disease – Misaligned teeth can make maintaining adequate oral hygiene extremely difficult. Hard-to-reach spaces can become breeding grounds for the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Reduced Wear and Tear and relief of jaw pain–Improper alignment of your teeth can cause an unequal distribution of force as you chew. This can lead to flattened teeth and lopsided wear and tear on dental enamel. Patients with malocclusion can also experience jaw joint disorders (TMJ dysfunction) that create clicking, popping, and discomfort when opening and closing the mouth.
How orthodontic treatment works
As the adult teeth begin to grow, they can be misaligned or crooked, or conditions such as bite malocclusion (underbite or overbite) can occur. This can lead to health complications such as jaw pain or damage to your teeth, or it could result in an uneven smile. Orthodontic treatment repositions and realigns your teeth to make them straight and even.
Traditional braces
Braces can correct various issues, from crooked and crowed teeth to jaw alignment and bite problems. The advantages go beyond aesthetics, including enhancing oral hygiene, improving speech, and making eating more comfortable.
Modern technology has improved braces and offer better comfort, aesthetic appeal, and shorter treatment durations. Our experienced orthodontist can combine all of these factors to create a treatment plan for you, tailored to your unique needs.
Traditional braces straighten teeth using a combination of brackets and wires affixed to your teeth. These put pressure on your teeth to gradually move them to more desirable positions over time. Our orthodontist may add elastic bands for additional force to assist in moving the teeth and correcting your bite.
Invisalign clear aligners
Perhaps you’ve avoided orthodontic treatment because, you don’t want to wear traditional braces. Fortunately, there is a more discrete way to straighten your teeth: clear aligners.
Aligners work like braces to gently reposition your teeth. Invisalign aligners are designed to be transparent and virtually unnoticeable while you wear them. You can also remove the aligners when you eat or brush your teeth. You will need to visit our office regularly to check your progress.
To find out if aligners are the best solution for you, schedule a consultation with our orthodontist.
