People often think of braces or Invisalign as a cosmetic procedure, something that will just make your smile look better.
But straightening your teeth has much bigger benefits than just a great smile.
Straighter teeth mean that your teeth will last longer, they’ll make your gums healthier and improve your health and immune system in the long run.
Let me explain.
1.Straight Teeth are Easier to Clean
The most obvious benefit of straight teeth is that they’re easier to clean. When they aren’t crooked and crowded, food and plaque are less likely to get stuck in between them.
2. Crooked Teeth are Weaker and Eventually Lead to Tooth Loss
When your teeth are crooked, your bite isn’t even and all of your biting force is on the weaker, more vulnerable parts of the teeth. As a result, these parts take a lot of abuse and start breaking down faster.
This abuse not only affects the teeth, it also causes a problem for the jaw bone and the gums. Ultimately, all of these factors added together result in tooth loss. A proper bite with straight teeth will allow you to keep your teeth longer.
3. Crooked Teeth can Cause TMJ
Some people with crooked teeth start developing pain in their jaw joints because of their bad bite, known as TMJ. The symptoms range from headaches, facial and jaw pain to earaches and ringing in the ears.
4. Crooked Teeth Causes Narrowing of your Airways
When the teeth are crooked, your facial muscles and soft tissue start to sag inward, causing narrowing of the oral and nasal airway passages. This is obvious when you look at braces before and after photos. Patients with straightened teeth lose facial “crease” lines and their smile looks younger and more youthful.
This problem starts with crooked teeth but actually gets much worse when teeth are lost. Loss of teeth causes the jawbone to start shrinking when it’s no longer being held in place by the tooth roots. This facial sagging causes further narrowing of the airways.
5. Tooth loss Eventually Leads to Poor Nutrition and a Weaker Immune System
We see it all the time, the health and nutrition of our patients suffer after tooth loss. Older patients with few teeth or dentures can’t eat all the crunchy or chewy nutritious foods that we need to stay healthy, leading to a lowered immune system and more frequent sickness.
Want to Find out More about Straightening Your Teeth?
Come, see us for a free consultation to learn why Invisalign is the preferred method to straighten your teeth as an adult.
With invisible trays and, on average, less than 12 months of treatment time, we can easily get you a healthy smile this year!
Give us a call at 515-420-1544 or email us at info@dmsmiles.com to set up a free consultation.