Braces are a popular choice among kids, teens and adults who want to improve their smiles. Perfect teeth alignment helps with chewing, smiling, preventing abnormal tooth wear, and reducing the risk of tooth injuries. There are different types of braces available today that are meant to solve these and other dental and health issues. If you have been referred to an orthodontist, here are the likely dental issues that braces are meant to solve.
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Overcrowding and Spacing
Many of the people who go to the orthodontist need help with overcrowding or irregular teeth spacing. Some may have a gap between their two front teeth, which is quite common in young children. Having a gap means that the other teeth will not line up perfectly and this leads to overcrowding on either or both sides of the mouth.
Braces can solve both of these issues. These braces can help pull the two front teeth into position, after which the other teeth are pulled into position too for perfectly aligned teeth. Your orthodontist will also follow your progress to ensure everything is coming along as expected and that you get the expected results.
Underbite and Overbite
Underbite and overbite happen when the teeth are not aligned as expected. This leads to the front teeth protruding in front of the lower teeth (overbite) or the front teeth being behind the lower teeth (underbite). Both of these conditions can lead to issues with chewing, speech, abnormal wear due to grinding and pain in the jaw.
Clear aligners work very well for underbite and overbite because the alignment required is minimal compared to the alignment that would require metal or ceramic braces. These invisible aligners are also great for those who want to correct these issues discreetly. Those who do not want to wear the invisible braces during the day or due to other reasons can always try alternative clear aligners from ALIGNERCO. These invisible braces are meant to be worn at night and allow you to go about your day without worrying about braces or what you eat and drink. ALIGNERCO has a team of experts standing by to examine your teeth to let you know if you are a perfect candidate. If not, they have an affordable range of normal invisible braces that are perfect for you.
Underbite and overbite also cause a misaligned jaw. A misaligned jaw puts a lot of strain on related joints and muscles, leading to jaw and neck pain. Problems with the temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) can lead to pain in the face, and in some cases, surgery might be required to correct the issue. If you have a misaligned jaw, it would be better to get braces first before things get so bad that you need surgery to correct the issue.
Open Bites
Open bites are a separate category from under and overbites because they result from there being a large gap between the upper and lower teeth. The most common causes of open bites are sucking the thumb and using a pacifier for too long as a baby. The condition is quite common in children.
The issue is not usually a big one because many children grow out of using a pacifier or sucking their thumb and thus do not experience these issues when their permanent teeth appear. However, this issue can carry over into adulthood and require intervention.
A related issue is crossbites. Crossbites happen when the upper and lower teeth do not align fully when a person brings their jaws together. This happens when the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth and can cause receding gums, fractured teeth, and asymmetrical growth of the jaw.
Periodontal Issues (Gum Disease)
Misaligned or crowded teeth can make it difficult to clean all the teeth properly. This can result in issues such as periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can also appear because if a person is not able to brush or floss between their teeth as there is no space due to overcrowding.
The good news is that braces can help put the teeth in the correct position. By doing so, gaps appear between the teeth and thus the person can clean their teeth properly which helps improve and promote oral health.
Chewing and Speech Issues
Teeth misalignment causes severe issues with both chewing and talking. Misaligned teeth do not meet as they are supposed to so they do not grind food as expected.
Misalignment can also make it hard to move the tongue and jaw as expected for proper speech. This leads to issues pronouncing certain words and can become a permanent issue if the underlying misalignment is not corrected.
There are lots of people who would not consider braces for various dental issues. However, braces have come such a long way that they are not more discreet and effective. They help solve many of the dental issues lots of people struggle with.
