Traditional
braces are still a popular choice for improving the look of your
smile because they are so effective at moving teeth. However, with so
many other dental cosmetic and orthodontic procedures to consider,
you may be wondering if traditional braces are still the right
choice. If you are ready to improve your smile once and for all,
check out these questions to determine if traditional braces are
right for you.
How
Crooked Are Your Teeth?
If
your teeth are only mildly crooked, overlapped or have small gaps,
you may be a good candidate for plastic aligners instead of metal
braces. These aligners are fitted to your teeth, but they still can't
move teeth as well as traditional braces. This is because of the
brackets traditional braces use. They can apply a lot more pressure
on certain teeth or certain areas of teeth to better move teeth into
proper position.
Even
if your teeth don't look too crooked, you may have rotated teeth.
These teeth need to be twisted into their right position for your
teeth to properly meet when you bite, and traditional braces are the
best way to do so.
Do
You Have a Misaligned Bite?
In
some cases, your teeth's position causes malocclusion or a misaligned
bite. People with malocclusion may suffer from an overbite (when the
upper teeth protrude too much), an under bite (when the lower teeth
protrude too much, which may even push them past the upper teeth), a
cross bite (when teeth are angled inward) or an open bite (when the
teeth don't fully close).
In
most cases, traditional braces are the go-to treatment for
malocclusion. In severe cases, you may need to have your jaw reshaped
or have teeth removed to fully correct the malocclusion. In cases of
a slight malocclusion that has no underlying problems with the
jawbone, invisible aligners may be appropriate.
Are
your Teeth Healthy?
Braces
use a lot of force to move your teeth, but healthy teeth can
withstand this pressure with ease because they are used to chewing.
However, if you haven't taken good care of your teeth in the past,
you may have weak teeth from chips, cracks, cavities, fillings, etc.
If this is the case, the pressure from traditional braces may be too
much, causing the tooth to shatter.
Even
invisible aligners may be too forceful to move your teeth without
causing further damage. If this is the case, you may want to talk to
your dentist about alternative options to make teeth look straight
without actually moving them. Both dental veneers and dental crowns
can be placed to make mild to moderately crooked teeth look straight.
Are
You Dedicated to Good Oral Hygiene?
Even
if your teeth are healthy, you need to be dedicated to good oral
hygiene, especially during treatment. Aligners can be removed to
easily clean and brush teeth, but traditional braces can't be removed
until treatment is over. Thanks to the wires and brackets, it can be
difficult to fully remove food, plaque, etc.
For
this reason, many people who don't care for their teeth while they
have braces end up with discoloration or rot under the brackets. The
extra irritation from the braces can also increase your risk of gum
disease, but you can help fight by keeping your mouth clean as
bacteria and plaque also irritate gums.
Traditional
braces may be exactly what you need to get the beautiful smile you've
always wanted. While they are the best way to straighten severely
crooked teeth or teeth with malocclusion, they can cause decay if you
neglect your oral hygiene. For more information about braces, contact
us at
Donald E. Snyder Orthodontics today.
