Like most people, you might wonder how to know whether you need braces, especially when your teeth and smile look good at first glance. While you might notice trivial changes over time or experience discomfort when chewing, it can still be challenging to tell whether the orthodontic treatment is necessary. This article can help you understand these signs and why you should consider using braces to correct them.

You Have Crooked Teeth

Crooked teeth are both a cosmetic issue and impact your oral health. Misaligned teeth can result in numerous health issues, including the following:

  • Increased risk of gum disease and cavities
  • Speech impediments
  • Chewing challenges
  • Increased strain on jaw muscles, leading to  jaw pain
  • Uneven teeth grinding and wear

Braces correct misaligned teeth by exerting constant, gentle pressure over time, causing the shape of the jaw to adapt. It happens because beneath the gums is a membrane surrounded by bone that attaches the teeth to the jaw. Since the membrane is the structure that regulates tooth position, it is the structure that the pressure exerted by the braces targets. 

You Want to Improve Your Facial Symmetry

Facial asymmetry means that a feature on one side of your face does not look the same as on the other side. While some features are one hundred percent symmetrical, in this context, the focus is on features that are noticeably different.

Braces can address various alignment issues, including overbites, crooked teeth, open bites, and underbites, which can significantly impact your facial symmetry. Here is how braces address different issues:

  • Open bite—When braces correct an open bite, your lips and mouth will look less stretched and more natural. In severe cases, braces can help achieve a balanced profile.
  • Overbites — The orthodontic appliance adjusts how your teeth meet, contributing towards a defined jawline while restoring proper teeth alignment. It makes your cheeks less sunken and your upper lip more prominent, resulting in better facial balance. 
  • Underbites—A person suffering from an underbite has a protruding chin that gives their face a concave appearance. Braces rectify the issue, promoting proper balance between lips and teeth while softening their facial features.
  • Crooked teeth—Braces fix spacing issues and minor teeth misalignment, permitting you to show off your elegant smile with confidence.

As braces apply constant and gentle pressure, your body generates cells that destroy and regenerate bone, leading to changes to your facial structure and bone remodeling. Your dentist will adjust the pressure throughout your treatment to optimize outcomes and ensure lasting benefits.

Braces can impact jaw development, harmonizing your facial features and improving facial symmetry. Your dentist can even incorporate slight adjustments to the jawline into your treatment plan and, in cases of severe facial or jaw imbalances, collaborate with specialists to achieve more dramatic improvements.

You Breath Through the Mouth

The link between breathing and your tooth alignment is fascinating. A constricted dental arch or narrow palate can lead to a reduced nasal airway, forcing you to breathe through your mouth instead of your nose. Breathing through the mouth can lead to various complications, including an increased risk of tooth cavity development, disrupted sleep patterns, and dry mouth.

Braces expand the palate and move teeth into the desired position, thereby widening your upper arch and improving your nasal breathing capacity.

Prevents Uneven Tooth Wear

Tooth wear is the surface loss of mineralized tooth structure over time. It is different from a tooth cavity. Its causes include teeth clenching or grinding, aggressive brushing, and acidic erosion due to certain foods and beverages.

A mismatched bite can also contribute to tooth wear. When your bottom and top teeth fail to meet correctly, some teeth take in more persistent force than others whenever you chew and speak. If left unaddressed, these teeth could wear down disproportionately, become sensitive, chip or result in discomfort as your enamel shrinks and erosion accumulates. 

Bite misalignment can also lead to increased grinding or clenching, which can erode your enamel.

Addressing Tooth Wear

Braces function by gradually shifting teeth into proper positions. Here is how aligning your bite can help minimize the potential risk of tooth wear:

  • Balanced bite pressure — Pressure caused by chewing is distributed evenly across all your teeth, reducing stress on a single area.
  • Enamel protection—With correct alignment, your enamel wears down at a normal rate, preserving tooth structure.
  • Less clenching and grinding — If your teeth meet together properly, teeth clenching or grinding is less likely to happen.

Braces are a preventive treatment that supports the function and longevity of your teeth. However, not all individuals with tooth wear require orthodontics. You could benefit from the treatment if any of the following is true:

  • You have crooked or crowded teeth — These dental conditions may cause uneven points of contact.
  • You experience enamel loss or chipping
  • You have bite issues that increase stress on specific areas of the mouth

You Want to Prevent Gum Disease and Tooth Cavities

Poor oral hygiene can lead to the accumulation of food particles and debris on your gums and teeth, potentially contributing to the development of cavities. Cavities form when bacteria feed off the sugars, producing harmful acids that break down tooth enamel. When your teeth are misaligned or overlap, bacteria are more likely to accumulate in hard-to-reach areas, as brushing and flossing become more challenging.

How Thumb Sucking Impacts Your Child’s Oral Health

Thumb sucking may be perceived as a form of self-soothing in children, but as time elapses, it could lead to significant dental issues. Here is how thumb sucking affects your child:

  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues —Thumb sucking can affect your child’s TMJ. The joint connects the jawbone to the skull and helps with routine jaw movement. Extended thumb sucking can overwork the TMJ, resulting in clicking sounds, jaw pain, or difficulty chewing. Prompt orthodontic treatment intervention can prevent this symptom from deteriorating into a severe, long-term problem.
  • Bite issues and misalignment — Thumb sucking can cause teeth misalignment because frequent thumb sucking shifts your child’s teeth forward,  leading to an overbite. The outcome can be a pronounced gap between the top and bottom teeth. The more the habit continues, the more noticeable these bite difficulties become. Underage children who continue thumb sucking beyond 4 and 5 years are at a heightened risk of suffering malocclusions, which can require braces.
  • Speech difficulties — Thumb sucking can also cause speech impediments because the habit can result in difficulty pronouncing some sounds, including “S” and “TH.” Thumb sucking interferes with the position of your child’s teeth and palate shape, affecting their tongue placement, which can cause unclear speech.
  • Jaw structure changes — Since your child’s jaw is still developing, it is susceptible to external strains. Thumb sucking can disrupt the normal jaw growth, resulting in a narrower top jaw. The narrowing can result in a crossbite.

Typically, most children outgrow the habit of thumb sucking on their own. However, others may require professional intervention from a qualified orthodontist. The dentist will diagnose and treat issues related to thumb sucking. They can recommend braces as a solution for correcting misaligned teeth and a misaligned bite, enhancing both their smile and teeth function. Prompt treatment can prevent future issues affecting the TMJ or jaw.

Your Child Experienced Late or Early Loss of Baby Teeth

When your child experiences tooth loss too early or too late, it can indicate future dental needs. If your baby loses their teeth before five years, the nearby teeth could shift into their space, allowing no room for a permanent tooth to erupt. Similarly, if permanent teeth erupt following a delayed eruption, it may cause misalignment and crowding.

Note that if there is a gap of a year or more between the loss of your child’s tooth and the eruption of its successor, you should schedule an orthodontic consultation.

Rectifying Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders

TMD is the inflammation and wearing down of the joint between your maxilla (upper jaw)  and mandible (lower jaw). The joint moves up, down, and sideways, and allows you to chew and yawn. For most people, the joint can be the source of frustration and chronic pain.

Some of the signs of TMD include pain, difficulty chewing, a clicking jaw, and frequent earaches.

A misaligned bite is one of the causes of TMJ disorders since it exerts pressure on the TMJ. The imbalance forces your jaw joints and muscles to work harder to perform normal functions, resulting in pain, inflammation, and fatigue.

The best way to treat TMD is by eliminating or reducing the root cause of stress on your TMJ. One effective solution is using braces to realign your jaws. The treatment moves teeth into the desired position and aligns the jaws properly using rubber bands. Proper teeth placement allows your teeth to fit together with added pressure on your jaw joint whenever you bite or chew.

You Want to Prevent Injuries

Misaligned teeth can sometimes cause injuries during physical activities like sports or accidental bites in the mouth. Correcting this dental issue using braces reduces the risk of injuries.

Braces Promote Confidence

When your teeth are crooked or misaligned, it can result in self-consciousness, making speaking or smiling in public a daunting experience.

However, braces can help gradually improve the appearance of your smile, leading to increased confidence.

For teenagers and adults, achieving an aligned smile often leads to feeling more beautiful and sociable. Social engagements become less concerning as you shed the insecurities caused by a dental condition.

Furthermore, braces can serve as a reminder that personal development requires effort and time. Embracing this journey helps enhance your self-worth throughout the orthodontic care process.

The physical transformation often contributes to a positive mental shift. As your treatment advances, you could find yourself smiling more. An attractive smile oozes positivity and warmth.

You Want to Improve Your Chewing

Occlusion or bite refers to how your top and bottom teeth meet as you close your mouth. A mismatched bite affects your ability to chew food efficiently. If your teeth do not fit together correctly, you will use more force to break down food, which can often result in improper chewing. The issue may cause digestive complications, increased wear, and discomfort in the jaw joint.

How Orthodontic Treatments Correct Bite Issues

Orthodontic treatments help reposition your teeth and jaws gradually to achieve a healthier, more functional bite. Depending on the severity and type of your teeth misalignment, dentists develop treatment plans that vary in approach and duration. Nonetheless, their objective is to enhance both appearance and tooth functionality.

Braces apply persistent pressure to shift teeth into desired positions. After your treatment, your bite will gradually become balanced, making chewing more efficient and reducing discomfort when eating. Effective chewing leads to increased nutritional intake and enhanced dental and overall health, ultimately resulting in overall well-being.

You Want to Close Gaps in Your Mouth

It is common for people to experience uneven tooth growth. Gaps in your teeth can affect your chewing. Additionally, you might be self-conscious when smiling and talking in public. Braces can be an excellent solution.

You Want to Improve Your Speech and Pronunciation

Do you know that your pronunciation depends on the position of your lips, teeth, and tongue working together? Crowded or misaligned teeth could interfere with your tongue placement when speaking. The interference could make it hard to pronounce sounds like f, v, z, and s.

Gaps between your front teeth could also cause unclear pronunciation or lisping.

Braces can address these structural problems, providing your tongue with a suitable surface against which to articulate sounds with clarity.

Contact a Competent Dental Practice Near Me

Since determining whether you or your child needs braces is not always obvious, Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry can help. We can review your overall health and oral health and ask you questions to determine whether braces are the best treatment option for you. We can also address your concerns and answer your questions, helping you start the journey towards optimal well-being, healthy oral health, and a beautiful smile. We can carefully design a treatment plan to meet your needs. Please call us at 310-361-2080 to schedule your initial free consultation.