A lot of people believe that braces are a rite of passage for teenagers with a misaligned bite, and having not had this experience during their youthful years, have missed their chance at a straight and beautiful smile.
However, there are several options designed with the adult lifestyle in mind that can provide straight teeth in as little as a few weeks. There is more involved in getting braces than just providing oneself with straighter teeth as well. There are many hidden health benefits that come with the process of straightening teeth as well as the end result.
Orthodontics in Weybridge can provide their patients with a range of teeth straightening options. After an initial consultation, a dentist will offer their recommendation as well as several alternative options all coupled with their advantages and potential risks.
Patients are free to make an informed decision about what treatment they believe will be best suited to their lifestyle and which will provide them with the best results.
What can having braces do for overall health?
Misaligned teeth can wear down faster than teeth that are correctly aligned. In some areas teeth will not meet in the correct place making it impossible to chew. This can cause difficulty in eating and avoidance in certain foods.
By having braces, people can experience having a more youthful appearance. Teeth slowly drift towards the tongue as one ages, causing crowding and overlapping. By widening the palate and straightening the teeth, the mouth will lift upwards and a smile will appear fuller in the mouth.
Straighter teeth can reduce plaque build-up as areas of crossing and overlapping are harder to reach when brushing – and food generally does not wash away in crooked teeth when drinking water as it does in perfectly aligned teeth.
Other benefits not often thought about when a person is straightening their teeth is the overall health benefits associated with their diet change while they are receiving their treatment. Traditional braces consist of brackets that are attached to the teeth and wires that connect these brackets. Certain foods should be avoided as they can get stuck in the wires and build upon the brackets, causing bad breath among more serious complications.
Removable devices allow patients to take out their aligners whilst they are eating and brushing their teeth. It is important to have these aligners in for a minimum of 22 hours every day so that patients can expect the best possible results.
In order to minimize bad breath and to keep their teeth healthy, it is necessary to brush their teeth after eating before putting their aligners back in. This potentially means that many people avoid the 4 pm snack due to the ritual of taking out their aligners and brushing their teeth in order to do so.
Diet has a considerable impact on the state of a person’s oral and overall health and by looking at braces in a positive light in helping to improve one’s diet, teeth straightening can be an opportunity to improve one’s overall health as well.