5 Reasons Your Dentist Might Recommend Braces

Dentist Blog

While many people have crooked and misaligned teeth, it might be time to consult your dentist if your crooked teeth are taking a toll on your confidence and self-image. Braces straighten teeth and fix problems that improve the overall appearance of your smile. Braces are still the ultimate solution for many dental issues. Continue reading for 5 reasons why your dentist might recommend braces. 

You  Have Crowded Teeth

Crowded teeth are among the most common reasons to pursue dental treatment. If it seems like your mouth doesn't have enough room for all your teeth, you might be dealing with crowded teeth, causing your teeth to overlap. Braces are the solution. During the initial consultation, the dentist will determine whether you're a candidate for any type of braces. 

Correcting crowded teeth also helps you avoid cavities. As long as you have crowded teeth, there are many places for plaque to hide in your mouth, where your toothbrush bristles can't reach.

You Have Irregularly Spaced Teeth

If your teeth are irregularly spaced, there may be wide gaps in your smile. Braces can help you reclaim your smile. 

While closing these gaps in your teeth may seem like a cosmetic issue, it can help improve your oral health. If your teeth are spaced widely apart, food particles can stick and collect on your gums, causing gum disease, bad breath, and other dental problems. Braces will come highly recommended to fix this problem. 

You Have an Overbite

Do you have an overbite? If left untreated, a pronounced overbite can result in the damage of gum tissue and damage to the front teeth. 

Your dentist may recommend that you fix your overbite using braces. While it's easier to treat an overbite in children because their jaws are still growing, an overbite can be fixed in people of all ages. 

You Have an Underbite

An overbite presents as your lower teeth overlapping your front teeth as you smile. Underbites are especially dangerous during talking and eating, which are essential parts of life. They increase the risk of oral injury. If you suspect that you have an underbite, call your dentist as soon as possible and make an appointment for an examination. 

You Have an Open Bite

Look at your smile in a mirror. Do you notice a significant gap between the lower and upper teeth? Is the answer is yes, you may have an open bite. Chances are that you tend to have difficulty speaking or eating properly. This may also result in some embarrassing habits like tongue thrusting.

If you notice that you may have an open bite, overbite, underbite, or irregular and misaligned teeth consult your dentist for a referral to an orthodontist to get braces. 

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24 July 2020

Unraveling Dental Myths about Children: A Blog for Parents

When I had my first child, I was a nervous wreck. Every book I read gave different advice, and I just wanted to be right! By the time I had my third child, some of the stress had abated. I now realised, there were tons of different perspectives on everything related to raising children including dentistry. To help parents, I have created this blog dedicated to unraveling dental myths about children. I am including posts that weigh both sides of issues such as thumb sucking, dental caries, breastfeeding, flossing and any other topic I can think of. I hope you find the information you need to unravel dental myths, but most importantly, I hope you find some peace of mind. With kids and dentistry, there can be more than one right answer, and I want you to be able to relax and go with the answer that's right for you.