You may be surprised to learn that straightening your teeth does more than simply boost your confidence—though this is certainly a plus! Orthodontic treatment can also lead to a number of health benefits. For example, straighter teeth are more effective in helping you perform chewing, speaking, and biting functions than crooked teeth. Unfortunately, crooked teeth are also more susceptible to oral health disorders. Here are some of the main issues that can occur in those with misaligned teeth.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis, or gum disease, begins as a bacterial infection of the gums known as gingivitis. This infection is most often a result of poor dental hygiene. For those with crooked teeth, periodontitis is more common because it is more difficult to effectively clean and remove debris, plaque, and bacteria from those hard-to-reach places. After receiving orthodontic treatment, you’ll find that your teeth are easier to clean, allowing you to prevent oral health issues like gingivitis and gum disease.
Temporomandibular Disorder (TMJ)
Those who suffer from malocclusion—including underbite, overbite, crossbite, and overcrowding—are at greater risk for jaw misalignment. In turn, this can cause a painful condition called Temporomandibular Disorder. This debilitating disorder can cause a number of uncomfortable side effects including jaw pain, severe headaches, lockjaw, and bruxism (teeth grinding).
Uneven Wear
If your bite is not even, it means that some teeth are doing more work than others when chewing or biting down. However, with straighter teeth, all of your teeth are doing an equal share of the workload. This helps to prevent injury and also improves the aesthetic appearance of your teeth.
Cavities
When your teeth are misaligned, there are more nooks and crannies where plaque and food debris can hide. This makes flossing and brushing successfully much more difficult. As a result, those with crooked teeth are at greater risk for tooth decay and cavities. After orthodontic treatment, you will find it much easier to keep your teeth cavity-free!
Tooth Injury
When you have straight teeth, they create a strong wall that is less susceptible to trauma. Crooked teeth, however, often protrude—making them weaker and more vulnerable. Therefore, orthodontic treatment protects your teeth from external injury.
At Manus Dental, we offer a number of orthodontic treatment methods to help align your teeth and prevent these oral health issues. With the help of braces, Invisalign, and/or retainers,
our orthodontists in Chicago, can straighten your teeth to give you a beautiful—and healthy!—smile.
To learn more about how orthodontic treatment can help you, contact Manus Dental in Hyde Park, Lake Zurich, or Yorkville today!