The Importance of Orthodontic Treatments

Your overall health can be significantly affected by your oral health. As we advance in technology and understanding, we are beginning to see how many health conditions are directly impacted by the jaws and teeth. 

Orthodontic problems with misaligned teeth or jaw can lead to difficulty chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Moreover, the long-term effects of misaligned teeth can impact how quickly teeth are worn or chipped or if TMJ or other sleep-disordered breathing develops. Such conditions can lead to pain and discomfort, chronic migraines, and others. 

The unnatural shifting of the jaw and teeth should be taken seriously. If left untreated, an orthodontic issue could become the leading cause of numerous health issues down the road.

Why Orthodontics?

Here are a few things that orthodontic treatment can do for you:

• Ensure proper function of teeth
• Create a healthy, attractive smile
• Help avoid facial structure issues
• Chew and speak easier
• Avoid periodontal issues by making teeth easier to clean
• Avoid expensive dental procedures as a result of untreated orthodontic issues 

Although some may consider a general dentist for their orthodontic treatment, a skilled orthodontist has 3-4 more years of education and experience to identify and correct orthodontic issues - experience and skill a general dentist simply does not have.  

DIY Orthodontic Care

A trend has occurred on social media with teens and others taking orthodontic treatment into their own hands. We advise patients against DIY (do-it-yourself) at-home treatments. Orthodontic care requires extensive skill and understanding to avoid the pitfall and issues that can be created during orthodontic treatment. Moreover, orthodontic care is a complex process involving jaw bones and soft tissue changes as teeth are moved into new positions.

A skilled and experienced orthodontist makes numerous considerations to qualify a patient for orthodontic treatment for the best possible outcome. Receiving a thorough examination of the teeth and mouth is the first step in orthodontic care. Then, with x-rays and a physical evaluation, our pediatric orthodontist can develop a custom treatment plan to address your needs best.

At-home treatments don't consider the pitfall and issues you'll run into. A DIY treatment plan also leaves a ton of room for guessing - where serious mistakes could be made to compromise your oral health - which may even impact your overall health. 

Regarding your child’s smile, you shouldn't leave anything up to chance. Visit our experienced pediatric orthodontist today to see how we can help your child or teen.