Why is orthodontic treatment important?

Many people desire to have pearly white teeth and a beautiful smile. Some are also of the opinion that not having a great smile can negatively impact their career goals. Irrespective of people’s personal opinions, paying a regular visit to the local orthodontist is extremely vital for your dental and overall hygiene. Thus, we can say that undergoing orthodontic treatment is necessary for the following reasons:

• Improved oral hygiene: The effects of treatments such as spacers, retainers or braces are long-lasting and will continue to benefit you for years to come. Correctly aligned teeth are easy to clean and maintain.
• Healthy teeth: Once you have undergone orthodontic treatment, you will be able to reach the crevices of your teeth with your toothbrush and floss that you were not able to earlier and can effectively loosen any tartar buildup. Tartar accumulation along the gum line is bad for oral hygiene because it contains gum-damaging bacteria.
• Reduced sleep apnea risk: Misaligned jaw can make you susceptible to suffering from sleep apnea. This condition is caused by the obstruction of the airway when the person is asleep. The teeth keep the tongue in place, so when the jaw is misaligned, the tongue can fall backwards and impede breathing.

What can be the consequences of malaligned/ crooked teeth?

Living with crooked teeth can make a person feel self-conscious about themselves when they smile or talk in public. This can impede their overall productivity potential in life. Aside from this, there are some dangers to having crooked teeth. These are listed below:

• Gum disease: When you have crooked teeth, you may find it difficult to clean all nooks and corners. Due to plaque buildup, harmful bacteria start to grow and multiply, making you vulnerable to gum disease.
• Trouble keeping teeth clean: Crooked teeth can make procedures like flossing and brushing teeth all the more difficult. 
• Difficult to chew food: The upper and the lower teeth can protrude due to misaligned teeth which leads the two to rub together. Conditions like an open bite or crossbite also make it difficult to chew food. 
• Bad breath: As mentioned, crooked teeth make flossing and brushing difficult, which leads to plaque buildup. Bacteria which is present in tartar causes bad breath, which can further affect your self-esteem.
• Disturbed speech: Teeth play an important role in speech. Severe malocclusion (irregular teeth) can even make it difficult to pronounce some sounds. 
• Headache and TMJ disorders: Some malocclusions can put unnecessary strain on your jaws, TMJ (the joint between the lower jaw and skull) and supporting muscles. This can cause headaches and pain in the jaws.
• Heart disorders: When bacteria continue to reside in your mouth, they can mix with the bloodstream and cause an array of heart diseases.
• Psychological effects: Malaligned teeth can affect a person’s self-esteem and confidence. This can further impact health, personal, social and professional life negatively.

What are the different types of orthodontic treatment available?

 The various types of orthodontic treatment options available are given below:

• Metal and tooth coloured braces: To rectify your crooked teeth(malocclusion) problem, your orthodontist can suggest you use orthodontic braces. Braces help to reduce teeth crookedness and correct malocclusion. Nowadays, patients have the option to choose between metal or ceramic braces (closer to the colour of teeth in appearance). 
• Elastics: These are removable and hooked onto brackets to gently pull teeth into place. Elastics effectively correct underbites, overbites and slightly off single teeth.
• Palate expanders: This orthodontic device is attached to the teeth to increase the space required for a natural, functional bite. This is recommended for patients with smaller arches but larger teeth.
• Headgear and other appliances: A headgear device can be customised to meet the patient’s needs, so it comes in multiple structures. A headgear is typically recommended for complex alignment cases and is often worn at night to quicken the treatment time. There are more such appliances that are used extra-orally to correct bony malocclusions.
• Clear aligners: These are transparent intraoral appliances which are meant to correct some types of mal-alignment.
• Retainers: As the name suggests, retainers hold the teeth in place to retain alignment. Retainers prevent the teeth from moving back to their original place. Usually prescribed in the maintenance phase after active treatment is completed.
• Surgery: Teeth straightening surgery is a procedure that is opted for by people when the crooked teeth issue cannot be corrected just with orthodontic appliances. Problems involving the bony structure of jaws usually require surgical correction.

Also Read: What is Red Light Therapy? A Closer Look at its Research-Backed Applications

Expert tips to take it easy during ortho treatment.

To get the most out of your orthodontic treatment while at the same time minimising discomfort, here are a few tips to follow:

• Keep up with your oral hygiene maintenance.
• Learn how to brush and floss your teeth in the correct way from your orthodontist while the treatment is ongoing
• Follow the instructions of your orthodontist; ask questions where you have doubts.
• You must watch what you eat and drink. You should focus on eating nutritious and healthy meals and completely abstain from consuming fast food, sugary drinks and candies at this point.
• Speak with your orthodontist if you are feeling anxious or stressed about any procedure

Conclusion:

From this blog, it is clear that crooked teeth can do more damage to your overall health than just become limited to a cosmetic concern. If you are suffering from dental issues due to malaligned teeth, schedule an appointment with your orthodontist and discuss the best possible treatment option for your condition. 

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.