Orthodontic treatment isn’t just about straight teeth. Beyond a beautiful smile, there’s also a great number of benefits to your health too!
Understanding what orthodontics does and how it can further benefit you can reveal just how transformative it can be for your life. Let’s learn together!
What does orthodontics do?
When you think of orthodontics, most think “braces” or “straight teeth” but there’s more to the world of orthodontics than just these two things!
So, what is orthodontics exactly? As defined by the American Dental Association:
“Orthodontics is concerned with the diagnosis, prevention, interception, guidance, and correction of bad bites. The purpose of orthodontic treatment is to create a healthy bite—straight teeth that properly meet opposing teeth in the opposite jaw.”
This means that while orthodontic treatment focuses on the position of the jaw bones and individual teeth, the benefits go deeper than the surface.
Just below those straight teeth are supportive periodontal structures like gums, tooth-root supporting bones, and ligaments too. Let’s see how they all work together.
The benefits of orthodontics
Common orthodontic issues like crooked or crowded teeth and bad bites can cause narrow palates and difficulty chewing. Treatment with braces, Invisalign, or orthodontic appliances can gently widen palates or direct teeth into healthy alignment under the guidance of orthodontists like Dr. Todd Gililland, Dr. Shawn O’Bannon, Dr. Morgan Gonder or Dr. Shane Radford.
Here’s a few other benefits!
1. Ease speech impediments
Speech impairments are frustrating for everyone. If you’re having a hard time enunciating and speaking clearly, an orthodontic condition could be the cause!
Crooked or overlapping teeth change the placement of your tongue, giving you a tongue-tied feeling. Sometimes misalignments can even allow for extra airflow when you speak, creating a whistling sound when you talk.
The benefits of braces and Invisalign don’t just end at a major confidence boost, but they can also help prevent and improve speech problems—especially with early orthodontic treatment!
2. Reduced risk of cavities and gum disease
Bacteria live in all the hard-to-reach spots of your mouth. If your teeth are in unhealthy alignment, bacteria can fester and hide in those tight spaces. Because it’s difficult to brush and floss in those areas, bacteria can start to eat away at your enamel, causing cavities to form.
Without proper oral hygiene, the sensitive tissue of your gums can become inflamed and increase your risk of periodontal disease.
But treatment with braces or Invisalign can make your oral hygiene routine simple and less time consuming!
3. Improved bite function and digestion
Orthodontic treatment can unlock your true bite power! With malocclusions, you may favor chewing on one side of your mouth or avoid certain foods that are hard to chew because teeth in unhealthy alignment can make it difficult to chew properly.
Those with an underbite can even bite the roof of their mouth when chewing – ouch! Situations like these often lead to larger pieces of food in your digestive tract, which can be difficult for your body to break down and absorb nutrients, causing gastrointestinal issues like indigestion or bloating.
With improved bites from orthodontic treatment, you’ll be able to properly chew your food into smaller pieces and do so without discomfort.
Still have questions about the benefits of orthodontics?
We offer complimentary consultations for all new patients!
At this first visit with us, our team will walk you through the common orthodontic issues affecting your smile and present you with a custom treatment plan so you can feel empowered about your smile care.
Ready to experience the full benefits of orthodontic treatment? Request your complimentary consultation at any of our orthodontist offices in Oxford, Saltillo, Southaven, Collierville or Corinth!
