Straight teeth – who doesn’t long to have them?
A lot of Americans are now investing in orthopedic treatments as more people are becoming more conscious about their teeth.
With these treatments becoming more affordable, people are now realizing that getting straight teeth and better smile is not as impossible as they used to think. And you can have it too!
What is teeth straightening?
Teeth straightening is any orthodontic treatment or process done to move teeth in order to align them into a straight position. As a result, you get improved dental health because of the corrected position of your teeth.
If you have misaligned, crooked, or misplaced teeth, you can use teeth straightening procedures or orthodontic treatment to align them properly. The results can trick anyone into thinking that you have naturally straight teeth.
Benefits you get when you fix crooked teeth
Better teeth cleaning
When you do your dental cleaning routine with crooked teeth, there are a lot of hard-to-reach places. Most people who have crooked or misaligned teeth are unable to clean all of their teeth thoroughly and as a result, they often end up having gum disease and tooth decay. When you have straight teeth, you will not have any difficulty cleaning your teeth thoroughly.
Improves gum protection
When you have straight teeth, you get to take better care not only of your teeth but also of your gums. The improved gum health helps create a strong defensive system against periodontal disease or gum disease. Periodontal disease is a serious condition and it can be very expensive to treat.
Better chewing
When you have straight teeth, you will be able to chew your food well. Chewing your food properly is very important to have good digestion. With better digestion, you get a better overall health.
Clearer speech
Most people do not notice this but your teeth actually affect the way you talk. People who have speech defects often have crowded teeth, protruding teeth, or gapped teeth. these dental conditions usually accept your speaking negatively. If you have straight teeth, you can easily improve your speech.
Lesser head and neck pain
When you have crooked teeth, this can cause misalignment in the jaw. Jaw misalignment will place excessive stress on your joints and jawbones. This can cause chronic pain in your lower neck and headaches.
Improve your looks
Having crooked teeth, a bad bite and a misaligned jaw affect the way you look somehow. With straight teeth, your facial appearance improves. It will look more proportionate and lift your mouth upwards. This helps you look younger and your skin firmer.
Increased self-confidence
People with imperfect teeth are often self-conscious. It affects the way they interact with other people and makes them less sociable. If you have straight teeth, your looks will improve and you will finally become more comfortable and confident when it comes to interacting with other people.
How to get straight teeth
Braces
When it comes to teeth straightening, braces are the primary treatment procedure that you can make use of. Braces are placed strategically on the teeth to apply the right amount of pressure to move them into a straighter position.
There are different types of braces that you can get today: metal braces, ceramic, and lingual. The cost and duration of the treatment will depend on the type of braces you choose. Metal braces are the most common and cheapest choice among them all.
Clear aligners
If you want a treatment that is something less permanent or something less obvious, there are aligners. These are clear, customized braces that looked like mouth guards – only they are made in the shape of your teeth so you can slip them on without making them look obvious.
Unlike braces, they are removable. You can take them off when you are eating or drinking something so you do not need to have to worry about any dietary restrictions.
But you have to take note that this is only recommended for mild to moderate cases of misalignment. For severe cases, most orthodontists would recommend you to get braces instead.
Porcelain veneers
Veneers are not actually a treatment – they are more like a coverup. They will not fix the problem but they can cover up the problem behind a resin or porcelain shell that looks like a real tooth. Veneers are made to match your tooth color and are stain-resistant.
Take note though that you can not use this treatment only when you are 35 years old. If you are younger than that, dentists and orthodontists would most likely advise against this.
Retainers
Retainers are wire-based devices that people wear overnight after getting orthodontic treatment. The retainers are worn to ensure that the new positions of the teeth stay that way.
Retainers can be used to straighten teeth but it will only work for adults that only need minimum movement for their teeth. If you need more than the bare minimum, then the retainer will not work for you when it comes to teeth straightening.
Can teeth be straightened at any age?
The ideal age to get teeth straightening procedures is between the ages of 10 and 14. This is because the mouth is still growing at this stage and any improvements you choose to make at this stage would be easily made.
Of course, to straighten teeth for kids, you need to make sure that all their permanent teeth are out first. That way, the permanent natural teeth have a better chance to get longer perfect straight teeth and healthy teeth.
But if you have gone beyond the mouth growing stage, you can still get any teeth straightening at any age. A lot of the procedures available today are capable of treating people of all ages effectively.
You just have to make sure that your gums are not weak. Some procedures need strong gums and a stable gum line to get teeth straightened. The pressure to realign the teeth puts pressure not only on the teeth but also on the gums.
Conclusion
If you have crooked teeth and you often feel conscious about them, getting straight teeth is not just about expensive dental work. As you can see from the discussion above, there are a lot of ways to get your teeth straightened out.
As you have learned, getting properly aligned teeth saves you from a lot of dental problems like periodontal disease or cavities. Having perfectly straight teeth comes with a lot of health benefits that do not only affect your physical health but also your mental health.
Investing in your smile is always worth it. You have the chance to get straighter teeth and have a better smile! Getting perfect straight teeth is always worth the cost.