The Impact of Orthodontics on Oral Health
Posted on 3/15/2024 by Weo Admin |
 Straightening your teeth with braces or other orthodontic appliances does more than give you an attractive smile. Orthodontic treatment can provide lifelong benefits for your oral health.
Preventing Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
Crooked, crowded, or unevenly spaced teeth are harder to keep clean. Food and plaque can more easily become trapped, raising your risk for cavities and periodontal (gum) disease. Orthodontic treatment repositions teeth to make them easier to access and clean. With straighter teeth, you can more effectively brush and floss away bacteria, lowering your chances of developing tooth decay and gingivitis.
Improving Ability to Chew
Misaligned teeth or jaws can make chewing difficult. You may find yourself avoiding certain healthy foods that are hard to bite and chew. By correcting overlaps, spacing, and alignment problems with orthodontics, your teeth work better together for biting, chewing, and tearing food. With all your teeth in sync, you can expand your diet to encompass fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, proteins, and other foods important for nutrition. Properly positioned teeth distribute biting pressure evenly across the surface of each tooth instead of overloading certain areas due to misalignment issues. An even pressure lowers fracture risks and helps prevent chipped or broken teeth.
Supporting Long-Term Tooth Retention
A healthy, full set of teeth serves you best for chewing, speech, appearance, and other essential functions. But tooth loss becomes increasingly common in older age, negatively impacting nutrition and self-image. With orthodontics, a straighter and more balanced bite better distributes biting forces long-term. This may prevent premature loosening or excessive wear of tooth surfaces. By setting your teeth and jaws in proper alignment, orthodontic correction aims to help you keep more of your natural teeth intact for many years.
Schedule a Consult Today
While orthodontic treatment primarily focuses on improving appearance, you can see that it offers significant advantages for lifelong oral health. If you have concerns about spacing, crowding, overbite, or other issues, schedule a consultation. We can discuss whether orthodontics may be right for you or your child. With a customized treatment plan, we can work together toward better dental health and well-being.
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