Getting braces can be painful. The hardware rubs against the inside of your mouth and can cause mouth sores. This is temporary, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help.
Crooked teeth and ancillary issues like overbites and underbites can lead to speech problems and excessive wear on the teeth’s surfaces, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. Braces correct these problems and improve long-term oral health.
What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the field of dentistry that corrects malocclusions, which include crooked teeth and over or underbite. Orthodontics uses fixed or removable appliances to help improve the aesthetics, function, and health of your teeth and jaw. Orthodontics is typically performed by an orthodontist, who has received specialized training in the anatomy and development of the teeth, jaw, and face.
While many people seek orthodontic treatment to achieve a more attractive smile, there are also medical benefits associated with the procedure. These benefits range from improved digestion to reduced oral health complications.
Teeth play an important role in the digestion process by breaking down food into smaller pieces before it reaches the stomach. Misaligned teeth or an incorrect bite can hinder this process, causing indigestion and other digestive problems. Braces help align the teeth and correct the bite to aid in proper chewing and digestion. With the help of dentists in Fishers, IN, you can definitely experience better chewing and digestion.
In addition, crooked or crowded teeth can make it difficult to floss correctly, leading to plaque buildup that could cause tooth decay and gum disease. Braces can create more space between teeth, making it easier to clean and floss.
Speech impairments like lisps can also result from disproportionate or misshapen teeth. By straightening crooked or misaligned teeth, braces can improve speech and reduce slurring.
How Does Orthodontics Work?
Basically, braces put pressure on your teeth over a period of time to slowly move them into the right positions. Over time, the bone under your teeth changes shape too, allowing for straighter and healthier teeth.
Traditional metal braces have three key parts: brackets, arch wires and bands. A bracket is a small square that the orthodontist cements to the front of each tooth. These can be clear or metallic in color, and they act like handles for the arch wire. There are also different types of brackets, including those that are smaller and more inconspicuous. For example, some are bonded to the back of the teeth to be less visible.
The arch wire is attached to the brackets, and it acts as a track that helps guide the teeth into their proper positions. The wire is also flexible, which means it can apply a gentle yet constant force to the teeth. This pressure causes one side of the tooth to squeeze into the periodontal membrane, and it creates tension on the other side, which leaves a small space between the two surfaces. Over time, this process changes the structure of the teeth by triggering biological functions that create new bone tissue.
In addition to improving the look of your smile, a properly aligned bite can help reduce the risks of gum disease and other health problems. Crowded or misaligned teeth are more likely to retain bacterial plaque, which can lead to cavities and gum disease. Braces can help reduce the risk of these issues by making it easier to brush and floss your teeth. In addition, a straighter bite can help prevent jaw problems and relieve tension in the muscles of the mouth and face.
What Causes Me to Need Braces?
There are a number of factors that can indicate that you or your child need braces. Crooked teeth and an overbite are the traditional telltale signs, but other issues such as slurred or mumbled speech and chewing pain can also be caused by misaligned jaws and teeth. Additionally, problems with your or your child’s teeth can lead to a variety of health issues such as gum disease, tooth decay and infections.
Another common reason for braces is the presence of gaps between teeth, which are referred to as diastemas. Gaps between teeth can be caused by genetics, thumb-sucking or the formation of abnormal mouth tissue, and they leave the gums vulnerable to plaque accumulation and infection. Closing the gaps with braces not only improves the appearance of your smile but also prevents serious oral health problems.
Ultimately, you should only get braces if your or your child’s dentist recommends them for aesthetic or health reasons. Talking to friends who have had braces, as well as a consultation with an orthodontist, can help you decide whether or not it’s time for you to straighten your smile.
What Are the Benefits of Orthodontics?
A straight smile makes a huge difference to your self-esteem, which affects how you interact with the world around you. It can improve your relationship with others, and it’s more likely that you will be successful in your career or your romantic life. As an added benefit, a straight smile is more likely to reduce or eliminate jaw pain (TMJ), which can be debilitating and affect all aspects of your life.
Orthodontic treatment can correct crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, and teeth that are not growing in properly. These conditions can lead to many problems including a bad bite, which causes chewing to be less effective and may even result in painful clenching or grinding of the teeth.
Straighter teeth are easier to brush and floss, making you less prone to tooth decay and gum disease. The correct alignment of the teeth also helps distribute pressure evenly, which can reduce TMJ symptoms and improve jaw function.
While teenagers are the typical recipients of orthodontic treatment, people of all ages can benefit from braces and other orthodontic appliances. The best time to receive braces is during the teenage years, when most permanent teeth have come in, but they can also be used to correct adult dental issues such as overcrowding and overlapping.
It is often difficult to determine whether your child has a bite problem, but if you notice that they grind their teeth or clench their jaws or experience headaches or sore or tense muscles in their neck, shoulders, or back, it might be time to visit an orthodontist. They can determine if your child needs braces and help them get a straighter, healthier smile.
What Are the Costs of Orthodontics?
While the long-term health benefits of a straight smile are numerous, it can cost a pretty penny. Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can reduce the costs of orthodontic treatment.
Dental insurance often covers braces, and it is wise to look into the specifics of your plan before committing to treatment. You should also be sure to consider the deductibles, copays and lifetime maximums that may apply. In addition to private insurance, Medicaid will frequently cover the cost of orthodontics for children, and supplemental dental or orthodontic coverage is available as an add-on to some policies.
Orthodontists can sometimes customize treatments to make them more affordable, especially for adults. For instance, many offices offer a discounted rate for patients who pay a significant lump sum upfront. This can reduce or eliminate interest charges and lower the total price of treatment. Additionally, it is worth asking if the orthodontist offers payment plans that can be paid off over time.
Another option is to use a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) to pay for orthodontics. You can invest tax-free money into these accounts to help pay for your braces, and the funds will roll over from year to year.
A straight smile can boost your confidence and self-esteem, making it easier to get jobs, socialize with friends and find love. If your teeth are crooked, it can be difficult to brush and floss properly, leading to a greater risk of gum disease, which can affect the rest of your body. In addition, crooked teeth can lead to mouth breathing issues and even sleep problems like snoring. By following the tips in this article, you can find a way to afford the best orthodontic care for your smile.