Braces are often associated with the teenage years, being made fun of, image insecurities and a metal mouth. Perhaps that’s how the movies would often paint it as.
Though in reality, there’s more to braces than the content portrayed on screen.
One of the main reasons people choose to invest in orthodontic treatment is to have a beautiful set of perfectly aligned teeth. While many think that straight teeth is solely about having a beautiful smile, the truth is, there are many other ways you’ll benefit from perfectly aligned teeth and it has a lot to do with your health!
We list down why orthodontic treatment is a good investment that gives you more than just a beautiful smile in return.
#1
REDUCES NECK PAIN AND HEADACHES
Have you been having a dull neck pain and/or headache off and on? Though, you know for sure that it’s not caused by stress, allergies or any pre-existing medical conditions.
A misaligned set of teeth can sometimes cause jaw misalignment. With jaw misalignment, this can lead to severe neck pain and headaches caused by the added stress in your jawbone, gums and joints around your mouth.
Hence, a straightforward solution to eliminating these uncomfortable symptoms is to align your teeth to allow your joints to move smoothly and ultimately reduce stress in and around your mouth.
#2
IMPROVE YOUR SPEECH
Among some individuals, a set of crooked teeth can affect the way you pronounce some words, especially if your teeth are protruding or gapped. This can affect one’s self-esteem and increase his or her risk of being bullied too.
All this can be prevented with orthodontic treatment. Straightening your teeth can improve your speech and you may realise its positive changes as early as six months into your treatment.
#3
STOPS TEETH GRINDING
With a set of perfectly aligned teeth, your teeth will rest perfectly against each other. This makes it possible for your teeth to execute its functions well, without having to worry much about it rubbing against each other at any point of time. This is the ideal situation but among many individuals, especially those with crooked teeth, you may be unconsciously grinding your teeth when you’re awake or asleep due to misalignment.
Also known as Bruxism, teeth grinding can wear your teeth’s enamel, increase tooth sensitivity and disrupt your sleep. Its effect can negatively affect not only your oral health but your overall health too. Thankfully, teeth grinding can be stopped with the intervention of a dentist.
#4
PREVENTS GUM DISEASE
Your gums are the soft tissues that surround your teeth. Gums work as a defense line for the deeper parts of your teeth as it keeps bacteria and food debris away.
With misaligned teeth, plaque and food particles can easily find their way in between your teeth and gums and become trapped.
Over time, this will cause a buildup of bacteria and ultimately lead to an infection of the gums such as gingivitis (an inflammation of the gums) and periodontal disease (a serious gum infection that can destruct the bone that supports your teeth).
Gum diseases should never be taken lightly and why not reduce your risk by ensuring that you’ve a straight set of teeth that can be cleaned effectively through brushing and flossing.
#5
IMPROVES DIGESTION
Did you know that misaligned teeth play a significant role in influencing the way you eat and how your digestive tract breaks down food?
When chewing food with misaligned teeth such as an over or under bite, there is a high chance that you’ll be swallowing food that has not been broken down well. Food chewed poorly, which often end up as large chunks of food, makes your intestines and stomach work harder.
Through the years, this could lead to irritable bowels, intestinal distress and indigestion.
#6
REDUCES TOOTH DECAY
Tooth decay is caused by the buildup of plaque around your teeth. When your teeth overlaps, this gives a good opportunity for food debris to get stuck in between and when mixed with bacteria, plaque is form. Plus, it is difficult for your toothbrush to reach in between the overlapped teeth. Hence, leaving plaque behind to damage your teeth.
With a straight set of teeth, you will be able to clean and maintain your teeth without the need to worry about having to reach difficult-to-reach areas.
#7
HEALTHIER BONES
Misaligned teeth commonly cause jawbone erosion. This dental condition occurs when bacteria make its way through your teeth, gums and right to your bone that supports the teeth.
You may wonder, how does misaligned teeth cause bacteria to reach that far? This is because, misalignment often puts extra stress on your gums and teeth. Hence, this creates pockets or spaces for bacteria to hide, make its way to your bones and cause it to erode.
Bone loss caused by jawbone erosion is irreversible. With orthodontic treatment, this can be prevented and hence, giving you a healthier set of teeth.
#8
OVERALL COMFORT IMPROVED
Do you remember the excruciating pain of accidentally biting your tongue or the insides of your cheek? Did the thought of that just make you cringe?
Misaligned teeth causes your jaw to sit in a misaligned manner. This makes it more likely for you to bite your tongue, gums and the insides of your cheeks. On top of that, you may also experience jaw strains that can cause discomfort too.
By aligning your teeth, comfort and your overall well-being can be improved tremendously.
Indeed, orthodontic treatments go beyond a beautiful smile and we do hope that these health reasons will encourage you to make an appointment with an orthodontist.
ORTHODONTICS AND MARFAN SYNDROME
Marfan Syndrome is a disorder that is often genetically inherited. This disorder affects the connective tissues of the body that helps to maintain and support the body’s organs as well as tissues.
Marfan Syndrome can cause malocclusion (misaligned teeth) and orthodontic treatment is typically recommended to help manage symptoms.
