Orthodontics—More Than Just Having a Pretty Smile

15 May 2020

For decades now, orthodontics has been a right of passage for many teens around the world. It is a widely misunderstood practice many believe may be about vanity alone. That belief is patently false. Orthodontics is an important tool to promote good oral health. In fact, orthodontic treatment is used to treat a variety of oral and general health problems, including things like:

• Temporomandibular disorder (TMJ)
• Misalignments causing difficulty chewing
• Speech impediments
• Teeth grinding
• Sleep apnea
• Gum disease
• Tooth decay

The bottom line is that improperly aligned teeth cause many problems that go far beyond the aesthetics of a pretty smile and straight teeth.

When Should Parents Consider Orthodontics for Their Children?

Most dentists recommend an orthodontist for kids as soon as symptoms of alignment problems present themselves. Orthodontic treatment is a long process that may require years of careful collaboration between your dentist and orthodontist to help determine the appropriate time to progress the orthodontics process in your child.  The sooner you begin working with an orthodontist, the better relationship he or she can develop with your child to build trust and facilitate a smooth treatment.

Reasons Dentist Often Recommend Orthodontics

Dentists don't just lightly recommend orthodontics as a treatment. There are certain conditions, though, that orthodontic treatment addresses better than any other modern dental treatment. Here are a few common conditions that may require orthodontics for treatment:

• Overbite: Untreated, this condition can result in damaged gums and front teeth.
• Underbite: Untreated this condition can create difficulty chewing and speaking.
• Open Bite: This often causes problems with chewing and speaking.
• Crowding: Crowding can cause excessive cavities because there are too many spaces toothbrushes just can't reach.
• Gaps: Gaps in teeth create abundant opportunities for cavities, bad breath, and other oral health problems.

Each of these conditions can create havoc on your smile or your child's smile and cause a situation that is ripe for declining dental and oral health. In children, it can be far more than a cosmetic concern, especially when it causes speech impediments, chewing issues, or bad breath.

Orthodontics is the only way to address these issues and can be instrumental in restoring beautiful smiles, the full functionality of the mouth, correcting certain speech problems, and promoting positive self-esteem. It sounds like a tall order for an orthodontist to fill, but when done properly, orthodontic treatment can do all these things and more. Contact an orthodontic clinic to learn more.