What Benefits Do You Get From Having Straight Teeth?

Posted on Posted in Teeth straightening

Many of us live with crooked teeth without realising the potential impact….

In today’s world, more and more people are turning to cosmetic dentistry to achieve the smile that they want. Many of those people also try to keep their teeth looking great with a renewed focus on their oral healthcare too.

In these times of more popular aesthetic dentistry, lots of people are willing to have their teeth whitened or even have dental veneers fitted. However there is one treatment that some still shun simply because they feel it requires a lot of effort and may be potentially embarrassing. This is brace wearing or orthodontics.

When somebody has a crooked tooth or teeth, they know that there is only one way to fix this and that is by having dental braces attached. Unlike the other treatments, which are usually completed in a short period of time, teeth braces can take a longer period of time to take effect. Whilst this period of time will depend on each situation, it can take from several weeks to a year or more for the treatment to be completed.

The fear, for many people then, is that they will have to walk around with visible braces showing in their mouth for the whole of this treatment period. Unsurprisingly, this is a deterrent. At Mike Allen’s Dental Practice though, we have solutions which greatly reduce these concerns.

Modern orthodontics

When people think of dental braces, they tend to think of the older style which used metal wiring and brackets. Sometimes referred to as ‘train track braces’ due to their appearance, these were highly visible and older patients especially, may remember some name calling and even bullying in the playground of children who had these. Unsurprisingly then, there can be a reluctance to have this treatment carried out.

Things have changed though, and as cosmetic dentistry has become more popular, newer methods have appeared and this has affected the approach to orthodontic treatments. Whilst some new orthodontic systems do still use a similar ‘wire and bracket’ approach, they do so using much finer materials that are made in a shade similar to the colour of your teeth. This usually applies to cosmetic orthodontics that are used for minor corrections on the visible front teeth. For example, they could be used where a front tooth slightly overlaps another, just enough to spoil a smile. Generally speaking, this type of treatment may only last for a few weeks and the use of this system is considered worthwhile given the short period of time involved.

Where more significant correction is needed, especially where the side and rear teeth are affected, the treatment can last for a year or more. In this situation, there is an increasing use of a new type of orthodontic which abandons the use of wires and brackets altogether. There are a number of brands now offering this system which uses a progressive series of transparent medical grade plastic trays that fit directly over the teeth. Each tray is designed to move the teeth a little towards their desired position. Each tray is worn for a short period of time before being replaced by the next which moves them a little more, and so on.

These trays are virtually invisible for general use, and whilst this is the main appeal for a lot of people that use them, they also have the benefit of being removable when you are eating and for cleaning your teeth. This makes them far more convenient and also makes it much easier to keep your teeth clean and healthy for the duration that you have to wear them.

But why bother?

It could be argued that if you weren’t too bothered about having a crooked smile, you wouldn’t benefit from having this procedure carried out at our Burton dental practice. This isn’t true though and it is the case that crooked teeth are often less healthy than even ones. There are many good reasons for this.

1) Crooked teeth are much more difficult to keep clean. Where the teeth press tightly against each other or overlap, there will be small areas where it will be virtually impossible to clean, even for those who use dental floss. It is often in these areas that decay starts, gradually expanding to the point where a filling, or other restorative treatment, will be needed. Gum disease is also more likely where this happens.

2) If your teeth are not even, then the pressure applied to them when eating won’t be even either and this can cause them to wear down quicker, eventually exposing the dentin layer beneath the enamel. This will increase the risk of problems like tooth decay and even root canal infections.

3) An uneven bite can weaken a tooth and may eventually lead to it breaking, leaving it requiring restorative treatment such as the fitting of a crown, or possibly even needing to be extracted.

As you can see then, having even teeth is about more than just having a beautiful smile. If you have teeth that are crooked, we are happy to discuss your straightening options at our Burton dental clinic. To arrange an appointment to see one of our friendly and experienced team, please call Mike Allen’s Dental Practice on 01283 845345.