Wondering why you need braces, even though you have a flawless smile? Child, adult, and teen braces aren’t just to give you a straight set of pearly whites for the camera, though that’s certainly a plus. Here are just some of the reasons to see our orthodontic specialist outside of a beautiful smile:
Headaches
A poorly aligned jaw and teeth can lead to chronic headaches and jaw pain, even if everything looks fine.
Risk of Impact Damage
If your teeth fit together the wrong way, you’re at an increased risk of cracking or chipping a tooth due to impact. This is due to the unusual pressure applied to a tooth during impact when your jaw is misaligned; teeth pressed too tightly together lack the ‘wiggle room’ of properly aligned teeth.
Cuts and Tears
Misaligned teeth can also make you more likely to cut your lip or cheek while eating or when struck in the face. While in most cases this will only be painful and irritating, damage to the inside of the mouth can become infected or contribute to other health problems in those susceptible to them.
Difficulty Cleaning
If your teeth press close together or create unusual crevices, it can lead to a difficult-to-clean buildup that leads directly to additional cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. In some cases, you may find that it’s difficult or even impossible to brush and floss appropriately, creating a cycle of damaged teeth that can be costly and difficult to escape.
Overbite and Underbite
While your teeth may look straight, braces can also be a solution to resolve jaw alignment issues such as overbite, underbite, and crossbite. These can be aesthetically unpleasing and add a variety of risks such as jaw pain, grinding of your teeth, etc. You may also be at an increased risk for sleep apnea, a serious condition in which breathing becomes obstructed and stops throughout the night.
Grinding Teeth
Poor dental alignment also contributes in many cases to grinding of the teeth as an anxious habit or when asleep, which, in turn, wears down the enamel and leads to headaches, cavities, and other damage. Even if you only grind your teeth a little, it can have serious effects over the course of your life, aesthetically and medically.
Excessive Wear
The unusual alignment of your teeth can also lead to unbalanced wear on the teeth outside of what is usual, leading to some teeth becoming worn down, damaged, or cavity-prone.
If you’d like to learn more, you certainly will during your appointment with our team at Ragan Orthodontics in Dallas. Contact us today to schedule a consultation for braces.
