Crooked teeth can be a major liability to a successful life. This is because your smile is one of the first things people notice about you and crooked teeth may prevent you from smiling. Without a smile, you may appear cold, unapproachable and standoffish.
The negative appearance of crooked teeth is a major reason to get your teeth straightened. But should you straighten your teeth if you are confident in your appearance? Other than aesthetics, crooked teeth may cause a lot of health issues such as jaw pain, cavities, and bad breath. The choice to straighten teeth is a personal one and may be dictated by your budget. It is easier and cheaper to fix children’s teeth because they have malleable gums and bone tissues. But even as an adult, fixing any teeth misalignments may be the best option for your health. Keep reading for 7 reasons why you need to fix crooked teeth
1. CROOKED TEETH CAN CAUSE TOOTH DECAY
The first reason why it is important to straighten crooked teeth is that they are harder to clean than straight teeth. Regular brushing and flossing may not remove the food particles stuck between misaligned teeth. This leads to food decaying in the teeth, causing bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. Straightening teeth makes them easier to clean. This is a preventative step for avoiding periodontal diseases.
2. PREVENT EXTREME WEAR AND TEAR
Another problem caused by crooked teeth is extreme wear and tear. Misaligned teeth may rub excessively against themselves, the gum and jaw muscles. This leads to cracked teeth, a strained jaw, and
chronic headaches. You may have to extract damaged teeth and replace them with expensive dental implants. Prevention is better than cure which is why orthodontists recommend early treatment of misaligned teeth. It’s best to catch it before extreme wear and tear of the teeth and gums sets in.
3. IMPROVE YOUR GENERAL ORAL HEALTH
As mentioned earlier, crooked teeth can cause tooth decay and extreme wear and tear of the tooth enamel and gums. If left untreated these conditions can lead to receding gums, soft tissue damage, and eventual loss of teeth and the jawbone. Crooked teeth in kids can also affect their craniofacial growth and facial attractiveness. Tooth straightening often needs specialized treatment from an orthodontist. These are professionals that undergo three years of post-graduate training after dental school. Orthodontists use their advanced knowledge as well as modern technology to straighten teeth so they balance facial esthetics while fixing jaw and tooth positions. You may also experience frequent oral infections due to poor dental hygiene. In the long run, periodontal diseases may lead to other diseases such as dementia and cardiovascular problems. So straightening crooked teeth leads to general oral health and prevents dental problems.
4. END JAW PAIN
Crooked teeth put pressure on temporomandibular joints leading to jaw pain and migraines. Many people that experience chronic headaches trace the root cause of their pain to misaligned teeth. Activities like eating, speaking, and brushing can become painful due to misaligned teeth. This leads to a poor quality of life where you may have to take painkillers to manage daily activities. If you lack the funds or health insurance to cover teeth straightening costs, organizations like
Smiles Change Lives could help you secure the treatment.
5. CORRECT SPEECH PROBLEMS
Misaligned teeth are one of the main causes of speech difficulties. Crooked teeth can prevent the tongue and mouth from forming the shapes needed to produce the pronunciations required for proper speech. Twisted teeth or gaps in the teeth may lead to a whistle when one speaks. Children with crooked teeth may also develop speech impediments due to shyness in opening their mouths. Speech problems due to misalignment of teeth are often corrected through braces. If your speech impediment is due to a small jaw or misaligned jaw, orthognathic surgery which realigns the jaw may be needed.
6. IMPROVE YOUR APPEARANCE
Another reason why you should fix crooked teeth is to improve your appearance and self-esteem. Children with crooked baby teeth are especially vulnerable to teasing and bullying due to crooked teeth. They may even stop smiling to cover up the appearance of their teeth. As adults, we tend to judge each other on appearance and find those that smile more likable. If you avoid smiling due to crooked teeth you may end up putting off meeting new people. So fixing crooked teeth in both adults and children may lead to more confidence and better relationships due to improved self-esteem.
7. IMPROVE YOUR CHEWING AND DIGESTION
Misaligned teeth can make it hard to chew food, making eating a painful experience. Crooked bottom teeth and crooked front teeth make it hard to bite or tear meat and other hard foods. This may lead to malnutrition as some may avoid eating certain foods due to the pain they experience trying to chew. If food is not chewed properly it may be harder to digest leading to digestion problems. One of the main procedures orthodontists focus on is correcting patients’ biting. A misaligned jaw and teeth can be very painful.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FIXING CROOKED TEETH?
Crooked teeth can cause self-esteem issues and oral health problems. This is why many people choose to get them straightened. Orthodontists have the knowledge and technology to fix tooth alignment problems for both children and adults. But they recommend early treatment to ensure that a child’s permanent teeth grow perfectly for their face. If you decide to straighten your teeth, it is best to use the services of an orthodontist. Individualized treatment plans from orthodontists focus on an overall balance of facial aesthetics and tooth and jaw positioning. This means that a visit to an orthodontist will get you more benefits than simple tooth straightening. For more information on oral health and tooth straightening, contact us to schedule an appointment today.
