We spend a lot of time and effort in the pursuit of straight teeth. We take care to watch our children’s teething habits, we put braces in our mouths, and we take all kinds of precautions to make sure our teeth are strong and straight. But how beneficial is it to have a perfect set of pearly whites?
Benefit #1: Straight Teeth Are Easier To Keep Clean
You can brush, floss and rinse every day, but if you have the option between a straight set of teeth and a misaligned one, you’re going to put in a lot more work with the second option. And sometimes, if you have teeth that aren’t straight, you simply cannot clean certain areas. The teeth are too close together for your tools to get in there. However, they are not too close together for plaque to build up, and for tooth decay to set in. This often means that misaligned teeth are at a significantly higher risk for damage and that they’ll need more work over the lifetime of the tooth.
Benefit #2: Straight Teeth Lower Your Risk of Disease
If your teeth are straight and easier to clean, it lowers your risk for gum disease. If you can keep your teeth clean, then you’re less likely to develop gum disease. And, despite the name, gum disease affects more than just your mouth. If you have gum disease, then oral bacteria can get into your bloodstream and affect your heart as well as your blood vessels and even your brain. Gum disease is a contributor to diabetes as well, which is yet another reason to take every precaution to avoid it.
Benefit #3: Improved Self-Confidence
If you have crooked teeth, then you already know how hard it can be to part your lips when it’s time to smile. You might be afraid of being laughed at, and you may worry that other people will find you less attractive if they get a good look at your grin. Having straight teeth is typically seen as an attractive quality. It makes you stand out and that can improve your self-confidence.
Benefit #4: Healthy Jawbone
While crooked teeth are not inherently unhealthy, they often present complications. Complications such as weakened jawbones, gum disease and decay can lead to losing teeth that you would have been able to keep, if they had been straightened out. Lost teeth can lead to a weakened jawbone, as the patches where teeth have to be pulled from don’t have anything keeping them strong. While it’s possible to replace lost teeth with artificial ones, it’s always a better idea to nip the problem in the bud and straighten crooked teeth whenever possible to prevent their loss in the first place.
Benefit #5: Fewer Overall Problems
Crooked teeth are associated with a lot of problems we don’t often think about. Teeth chipping, for instance, is more common if someone doesn’t have straight teeth. Grinding and the headaches that come with grinding are significantly more common. Lip and gum injury are also more common in those who have crooked teeth. While it’s still possible to have problems like this with straight teeth, these problems are less common with an aligned bite.
Dr. Maddux of Maddux Orthodontics will provide a complimentary consultation in order to find a treatment plan that works for you. His skilled and knowledgeable team will support you as you journey toward a straight and beautiful smile. Call us at (757) 499-3530 to get started!