Teeth are crucial for human beings. They are responsible for essential actions like chewing, but also have a purpose in relation to feelings. It is important to have teeth as beautiful as possible, both straight and white, and that is achievable only if the teeth are in perfect health.
People these days still don’t pay as much attention to their teeth as they should. They can find out at an early age that their teeth are not straight and still do not go to an orthodontist to resolve that problem. Although the adults are not going for themselves, they are going for their children. Most patient that are worrying braces today are children between the age of 12 and 18. That is the age when changes in the position of the teeth start to appear, and become visible. Adults are able to change the position of their teeth too, even after a long time after the overcrowding process has appeared. But when do you know you need braces?
First you need to look for crowded teeth. This is called malocclusion. If you have teeth that are sitting sideways, if they overlap with each other, or if they are farther than they should you need to go to the dentist or orthodontist to resolve this problem. You can use dental floss, and if it’s hard to slide it between your teeth, it may be possible the presence of malocclusion.
Second thing you need to understand is how malocclusion can affect you. If your teeth are overcrowded or too close together, it will be difficult even for the professionals to clean them properly. This way there is a high probability for plaque build up, cavities, gum disease and tooth decay.
Third thing you need to do is to look for are teeth that seem too far apart. Besides crowding, this is another situation that can cause problems. A missing tooth, large gaps between teeth, or proportionally small teeth can impair the proper function of your bite jaw. Spacing is another issue resolved with the help of braces.
You need to examine your bite. The teeth should fit together when you are biting. If a large space is present between the upper and lower teeth, you may need to wear correction braces. There are three possibilities of wrong positions between the lower and the upper teeth. There is the overbite, when the upper teeth extend past the lower teeth; the underbite, when the lower teeth extend past the upper teeth; and the crossbite, where the upper teeth are positioned improperly inside the lower teeth. The last one can result in facial asymmetry if not corrected.
Puyallup Orthodontist Before and After
Last thing you have to look into is understanding the problems a bad bite can induce and how can it affect you. If you have a misaligned bite, there is a high chance of plaque buildup and also decaying food particles between your teeth. These are factors that can cause bigger problems, like periodontal disease, gingivitis, tooth loss or dental abscesses.
Because they are so important, your teeth need to be treated with great care. If you find some irregularity in the position of your teeth, you need to visit a dentist or an orthodontist. They are capable of telling you if you require braces or not, and they can help you with any other problems that you are having in relation to your teeth.
