Have you ever wondered why dentists and orthodontists stress so much on having straight teeth? Is it merely for cosmetic reasons, or does it have to do anything with your oral health? If you have been wondering about these questions and searching for answers, this article is for you. Continue reading to find out how orthodontic treatment with braces will not just improve your smile but also your oral health and physical wellbeing.
How Long Will It Take For Braces To Straighten My Teeth?
The time required for straightening teeth depends on various factors, such as the age of the patient, type of braces, skill and expertise of the dentist, and the patient’s adherence to instructions. Thanks to modern orthodontics, different braces are available to fix crooked teeth – each having a different pace of orthodontic correction. Generally, it takes around 6-8 months to treat mild orthodontic problems with braces like spacing or minor crowding. On the other hand, treatment of moderate or severe problems involving the bite may take anywhere between 18-24 months. Your orthodontic will give you a rough estimate of the expected treatment duration after a clinical examination.
Is It Necessary To Have Perfect Teeth?
According to the Oral Health Foundation, our teeth not only allow us to eat and speak, but they are also important for aesthetic reasons. Crooked and misaligned teeth can create significant difficulty in eating and speech and may lead to malnutrition, weakness and other health issues. That is why dentists strive to ensure that every patient has optimally aligned teeth that maximise dental functions and facial aesthetics.
How Can Braces Affect Your Facial Structure?
Our smile and facial appearance depend on various factors, such as the structure of the bones, skin muscles activity, and how our teeth mate together when the mouth is closed. If someone has crooked or misaligned teeth, it can directly influence the skin muscles and jaw joints, affecting our facial appearance. Individuals who have facial flaws caused by improper tooth alignment can benefit from braces, as they will realign the teeth and restore the optimal facial appearance and smile.
Does Straightening Of Teeth Make Them Weak?
Orthodontic treatment with braces is safe, provided an experienced and qualified dentist performs it. Braces move your teeth by exerting controlled forces on your teeth, resulting in the remodelling of bone around the teeth, which allows them to move in the desired direction. As a result, the teeth become transiently mobile during treatment with braces. However, they get firmly anchored in their sockets again once the treatment has been completed. So, orthodontic treatment does not make the teeth weak. However, braces wearers are at a higher risk of developing gum problems, and teeth cavities as optimal cleaning around the braces are difficult. That is why the British Orthodontic Society recommends taking extra care of your oral health during orthodontic treatment.
Why Are Braces Necessary For Some People?
The primary purpose of orthodontic treatment with braces is to restore optimal tooth alignment and occlusion. Besides, in almost all cases, the root cause of a flawed smile is poor tooth alignment. Therefore, your orthodontist may recommend braces if you have cosmetic facial defects or dental issues – such as temporomandibular joint disorders, tooth wear or teeth cavities – that arise from improper tooth alignment. Some of the dental problems that require treatment with braces include:
- Misaligned or rotated back or front teeth
- Tooth spacing
- Tooth crowding
- Malpositioned teeth
- Overbite
- Crossbite
- Underbite
- Unerupted or impacted teeth
What Are The Benefits Of Having Perfectly Straight Teeth?
Perfectly aligned teeth not only give you a naturally beautiful smile but will also help you eat and speak without difficulty. Besides, optimally aligned teeth allow for optimal oral hygiene, thereby minimising the chances of teeth cavities and gum problems.
In addition, being perfectly aligned can also help in improving your overall health and quality of life. When your teeth can chew food efficiently, it will reduce the load on your digestive system and result in better food assimilation and energy generation, making you healthy, fit, and active.
What Age Is Too Old To Start Using Braces (For Teeth)?
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, there is no age limit for getting your teeth straightened with braces. No matter how old you are, you can still get braces and enjoy a smile that you have always dreamed of. This is because the same principle is involved in the movement and realignment of the teeth, whether you are 8 or 80 years old. The only difference is the treatment duration. While it is easier to move the teeth in young people as the bone is actively remodelling, older patients may need more time as their bones are denser and have lesser remodelling capacity.
Are Braces Cosmetic Or Necessary?
Improperly aligned teeth can cause problems such as temporomandibular joint disorders, teeth grinding, excessive tooth wear, teeth cavities and periodontal issues. Even cosmetic facial defects mainly arise due to poor tooth alignment. Hence, the ultimate aim of orthodontic treatment with braces is to realign your teeth. But while the braces are realigning your teeth, they will also restore your facial aesthetics and smile. So, braces help you in restoring your oral health as well as your facial aesthetics.
At Ely smile, we believe that only a healthy smile can result in a beautiful smile. That is why we aim to identify the underlying problem that helps us treat the problem and obtain the best aesthetic outcome for our patients. So, book a free video consultation today with our dentist, Dr Stefan, to discuss your orthodontic treatment options and let us give you a healthy and attractive smile.
