Although most people get braces during childhood or adolescence, adults can benefit from orthodontic treatment as well. Braces help correct the misalignment of teeth and jaws, reducing symptoms like crooked teeth, excessive tooth wear, and more.
Uneven or crowded teeth create hotbeds for bacteria that can lead to gum disease and cavities. In addition, improper bite alignment can cause bone erosion or even break the jawbone. For more information, click the Braces Las Vegas to proceed.
Braces Straighten Teeth
Generally speaking, the reason most people get braces is to correct crooked teeth and a misaligned bite. By using a combination of pressure and time, braces move teeth into their ideal positions.
The most common type of braces includes metal wires and a series of brackets that are cemented onto the surface of the teeth with a special dental glue. Once the brackets are secure, the orthodontist will attach an archwire to them. The archwire is what puts pressure on the teeth and helps guide them into their new positions over time.
To begin with, the archwire is very thin and flexible. This means that it’s exerting very light pressure on the teeth. Over time, though, the orthodontist will change the archwire to a thicker and stiffer one, which will help put more pressure on the teeth and move them more quickly into their new positions.
Teeth that are not straightened can lead to a variety of health problems including overcrowding, crooked teeth, and gum disease. Additionally, an improper bite can cause strain on the jaw and face muscles leading to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). By straightening teeth with braces, patients can improve their smiles as well as their overall health.
Tighter and more aligned teeth make brushing and flossing easier, which reduces the risk of tooth decay as bacteria is less likely to reach crowded or crooked teeth. In addition, a straighter bite helps to protect the bones of the jaw from erosion by evenly dispersing the pressure of chewing and biting.
As a bonus, having straighter teeth can also improve the clarity of your speech and reduce the risk of mispronouncing words. It can even boost your self-esteem and make you feel more confident in personal and professional settings.
Braces Help Prevent Tooth Decay
Often, tooth decay develops from harmful oral bacteria that enter the mouth due to a poor diet. Untreated, this can cause serious and costly dental conditions like root canals, dental crowns, and tooth loss. Braces help to correct misalignments that lead to these types of problems by positioning the teeth and jaws correctly. This also minimizes excessive pressure on the gum tissues and bones that can cause bone deterioration.
Crooked and crowded teeth can interfere with chewing, which impacts proper digestion. Misaligned jaws can also create lisps. Braces can help to align these disproportionate teeth and jaws to improve speech and digestion.
It’s important to be extra careful with your dental hygiene when wearing braces to avoid cavities. This includes brushing more frequently and using a fluoridated toothpaste with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Flossing is also key to preventing decay around the brackets and wires of your braces. These hard-to-reach spots are hotbeds for plaque and tartar buildup that can eventually lead to tooth decay if not removed regularly.
If you have braces, you’ll also need to be more selective about what foods you eat. Sticky foods, sugary drinks, and hard snacks should be avoided because they can trap food particles and bacteria that can erode the teeth and gums. It’s also a good idea to brush after every meal to reduce staining and bacteria.
While it’s common for pieces of the bracket or bands to become loose or break, these issues should be addressed right away. This is because they can affect the direction of tooth movement and shift the teeth incorrectly. Additionally, if the band or bracket falls off completely, make an appointment to see your orthodontist as soon as possible.
Teeth are a crucial part of your overall health, and they can even determine your self-esteem. Braces can help straighten crooked teeth and fix bite issues, which can prevent more serious oral health concerns like jaw pain, tooth loss, and gum disease. These conditions are expensive to treat and can detract from your quality of life, so it’s best to take care of your teeth now.
Braces Prevent Jaw Pain
Misaligned teeth and bite issues often cause stress on the jaw muscles and joints, resulting in discomfort and pain. By correcting these issues, braces help alleviate jaw pain and reduce the risk of future problems.
Misalignment in the teeth and bite can also lead to excessive tooth wear, which causes teeth to become more fragile. Braces help distribute the forces of the bite evenly, which protects teeth from premature wear and helps preserve their structural integrity.
Braces also help prevent gum disease by preventing crooked and crowded teeth from trapping food particles and bacteria, which can contribute to infection. Straight teeth are easier to clean with a toothbrush and floss, which lowers the risk of gum diseases like gingivitis and severe periodontitis.
Because braces make teeth even, they also make them easier to pronounce certain words and sounds. This can help improve speech clarity and boost self-confidence.
If you are experiencing jaw pain, your orthodontist can help you determine the cause of the problem and recommend treatment options. In some cases, the pain may be caused by grinding and clenching your teeth, which can be a result of an improper bite or a jaw joint disorder.
By correcting the alignment of your teeth and bite, braces can relieve jaw pain and alleviate a range of related problems, including headaches and earaches. In addition, the repositioning of your upper and lower jaws can improve chewing efficiency and facilitate digestion.
While the benefits of braces extend far beyond aesthetics, a beautiful smile is still the primary reason for most patients. If you have a crowded or crooked mouth, contact your orthodontist to find out how braces can transform your smile. They can also recommend a retainer to help prevent your teeth from shifting after you have completed orthodontic treatment. The material used for dental retainers is nickel, so if you have an allergy to nickel, talk with your orthodontist about alternative materials for your retainer. For example, some patients have reported that a clear retainer made of an acrylic resin called Hyptilon is hypoallergenic.
Braces Help Boost Self-Esteem
The most obvious reason to get braces is to straighten crooked teeth and boost your smile’s appearance. However, a straighter smile offers other benefits that will benefit your health and self-esteem as well.
A straighter smile will not only elevate your confidence when smiling for pictures or socializing, but it will also help you chew and speak more easily. This will allow you to eat a wider variety of foods, which can improve your nutrition. It will also make it easier to carry on conversations with friends and coworkers, as well as listen to music or read.
When teeth are crowded or misaligned, it can be difficult to properly clean them, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. By fixing these issues with braces, you can enjoy a healthier mouth that is less likely to develop cavities or gum disease.
It is not uncommon for individuals to experience a dip in their self-esteem when they first get braces. This can be due to the change in their physical appearance or the discomfort that comes with orthodontic treatment. However, it is important to remember that these feelings are temporary. Individuals can focus on boosting their self-esteem during the process by surrounding themselves with supportive friends who can uplift them during their orthodontic journey.
Traditional metal braces consist of small brackets, an archwire, and tiny elastic bands called ligatures that work together to shift teeth. They are typically made of lightweight stainless steel and can be augmented with clear or tooth-colored ligatures to make them less noticeable. A newer technology called self-ligating braces combines most of the same components as traditional metal braces but uses a special hinged door built into each bracket to make it easier to tighten the wire. Another option is lingual braces, which are installed on the back of the teeth to make them virtually invisible.
While it may take some time to get used to wearing braces, the results will be well worth the effort. The health and confidence boost that a straighter smile can provide will pay off for years to come.