Orthodontic Treatments: Aligning Teeth for Better Health
People often associate orthodontic treatments focused on teeth alignment with having a straighter and, subsequently, more attractive smile. Properly aligned teeth, however, don't only lead to a more balanced and symmetrical smile, but they also improve your oral health.
If you're like most people, when you think about orthodontic treatment, you think about aesthetics and function, but the truth is the alignment of your teeth and jawbones is closely tied to your oral health and general wellness.
Food debris, plaque, and bacteria are more likely to become stuck in between crooked or overly crowded teeth, and misaligned teeth are more difficult to keep adequately clean with brushing and flossing. This means that the tooth enamel must endure prolonged exposure to harmful bacteria and acids that erode the surfaces of the teeth. Marked by softening tooth enamel, the earliest stage of this erosion is called tooth decay. Left unchecked, the enamel becomes increasingly damaged, leading to dental caries (also known as cavities). These are actual holes in the tooth enamel, and they can lead to a host of complex issues such as tooth pain, sensitivity, infection, and tooth loss.
By straightening the teeth and creating the right amount of space for them to line up comfortably, the teeth become easier to clean, and this improves the health of the teeth.
When it's difficult to clean the teeth, the gum tissues also suffer. Along the top of the gum line, in between the tooth enamel and gum tissue, are spaces known as the periodontal pockets - and harmful bacteria thrive inside these warm, damp, dark pockets. Infection can occur as a result of poor oral hygiene (or the inability to keep the periodontal pockets clean).
Gum disease is a serious matter. In its earliest stage, known as gingivitis, it is often asymptomatic and can still be reversed. However, when the infection has progressed to later stages, known as periodontitis, it is incurable and causes several unpleasant and painful symptoms such as:
Periodontal disease can also lead to generalized inflammation throughout the body, and it is directly correlated with an increased risk of systemic diseases including:
When the teeth are aligned and properly spaced as a result of orthodontic treatment, the gums become more accessible and easier to keep clean. As a result, it is easier to prevent gingivitis from developing, reverse gingivitis that has already occurred, or successfully manage periodontitis that has already developed.
Bruxism (commonly experienced as sleep bruxism which occurs during sleep) is marked by frequent and uncontrolled jaw clenching and teeth grinding. While the exact cause of bruxism is not known, and it appears to be the result of a variety of factors, misaligned jawbones and malocclusion (improper bite) are significant causal factors.
Bruxism can harm your oral health by wearing down your tooth enamel and creating unnaturally sharp wear patterns on your bite. It can also impact your quality of life with painful symptoms such as frequent headaches, facial pain, and muscle tension in the face, head, neck, and shoulders.
Orthodontic treatment can address malocclusion and misalignment to help reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of bruxism spells.
TMD is a condition frequently caused by the improper alignment (and subsequent improper function) of the jawbones and temporomandibular joints *TMJs). The condition is marked by symptoms including:
Orthodontic treatment can correct TMJ alignment problems to help reduce TMD and alleviate its symptoms.
With the correlation between periodontal disease and general, systemic health, the link between oral health and your body's health is undeniable. Plus, the painful and uncomfortable symptoms that accompany many orthodontic problems can take a significant toll on your quality of life. As a result, straightening your teeth, correcting your bite, and aligning your jaws with orthodontic treatment can improve your health and happiness.
Modern orthodontics offers patients a wide array of treatment options that can correct a variety of orthodontic issues with different degrees of severity and complexity.
The treatment or combination of treatments that is right for you will depend on your treatment needs and preferences in addition to the complexity and severity of your orthodontic condition.
Orthodontic treatments like braces and clear aligners not only straighten the teeth but can also correct malocclusion (bite problems like overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite), tooth gaps, and overly crowded teeth. If you're struggling with any of these concerns and would like to straighten your smile and improve your health at the same time, then orthodontic treatment might be right for you.
At Origin Dental, we're proud to provide our patients with comprehensive care, including orthodontic treatment with braces, Invisalign, and ClearCorrect. To learn more about straightening your smile, we welcome you to contact our office today to request a consultation. We look forward to helping you create a healthy and beautifully straight smile for life!