Creating beautiful smiles that our patients feel proud of is one of our favorite things about working in orthodontics! But that’s only one of the many benefits of having straight teeth! Because we love sharing about how orthodontics can help change people’s lives and improve their quality of life as they age, we’re also sharing our top 5 benefits of straight teeth.
We recommend that people bring in their kids around age seven to get started. The younger you are, the easier it is to make the adjustments needed for a life of great oral health. But no matter what your age is, it’s never too late to set yourself up for better health in the future! If you are struggling with your appearance or any of the health challenges mentioned below, you should give one of our New Mexico offices a call!
Here at Rio Grande Orthodontics, we are experts at caring for our patient’s oral health and work with each person individually to find the treatment that will work best for them. Keep reading to learn more about our approach to health and the many benefits that come from having a stunning, straight smile.
#1. Makes it Easier to Keep Teeth and Gums Clean
Most of us have learned that it’s important to brush and floss our teeth daily. This helps remove trapped food particles and bacteria that grow plaque and cause tooth decay. But did you know that having crooked teeth makes them harder to clean? Plaque can grow in the nooks and crannies between teeth much easier when they are not straight and aligned. Some people develop cavities that they don’t even know about because they are hidden behind other teeth! Crafting a beautiful and aligned smile through orthodontics is one of the easiest ways to prevent tooth decay and gum disease from accidentally happening to you.
#2. Helps you Digest Your Food
The first step in the digestive process is chewing up your food. This doesn’t sound so nice, but the reality is that when you are unable to chew your food thoroughly before swallowing, it can be harder for your stomach and intestines to digest. Chewing can sometimes be difficult if your jaw and teeth are misaligned or if you have missing or overcrowded teeth.
When your teeth and jaw are straight, you can chew food more easily and with less discomfort, leading to better digestion!
#3. Prevents Wear on Your Tooth Enamel
Have you noticed your teeth clanking together uncomfortably when you bite, chew, or talk? This might be because of misaligned teeth or jaw. Your teeth are meant to be aligned along the top and bottom rows of your mouth, but when they aren’t, they can clash with each other, causing pain and wear on the enamel. Worn enamel creates a greater risk of cavities and harm to the roots of your teeth, which can be super painful! It’s best to avoid this issue as much as possible, which is best done through orthodontics.
#4. Promotes Clearer Speech
The way the muscles of our jaw, tongue, mouth, and throat work together to create speech is super intricate and fascinating. All the mechanisms must work just right to produce clear speech, and when your teeth and jaw are misaligned, it can throw off the entire system. Alongside a Speech Language Pathologist, our team at Rio Grande can be one of the best support systems to help improve your communication and self-esteem!
#5. Reduces Pain
A misaligned jaw can sometimes be the root of a whole series of health complications. Jaw muscle tightness and pain like TMJ can spread to the neck, head, and shoulders when not treated. If your jaws are uncomfortable, click when you open them, or alter your appearance, then you are a great candidate for orthodontic interventions!
As we mentioned above, adjusting and shifting bones is always easier to do when working with children. That’s why we recommend that people bring their kids in around age 7 to determine if they need extra support as they grow. Our doctors, Gardiner, Bunker, Vest, Klinger, and Kellam, are also experts at supporting adults who need this kind of care!
Ready to Find Your Oral Health Solution at Rio Grande Orthodontics?
We are ready for you! Choose one of our nine convenient locations to get started on your own orthodontic treatment. We can’t wait to hear your story and figure out how a straight smile will improve your life in big and small ways. Don’t hesitate to give us a call and schedule a free consultation appointment today!