Oh, dear… Just left a dental check-up and been told you need braces?
Although commonly associated with children and teenagers, more and more adults across the UK are being referred by their dentists to have braces fitted, in order to straighten their smile.
Unlike children and teenagers, however, adults have the legal right to flat out refuse this treatment. While that sounds pretty good to most kids, it can backfire badly.
Media images of braces do not help; before they have even left the dental surgery, most adults have decided to say no to any type of brace out of fear of how it will look and how it will impact on their day to day life.
Luckily, there are options. Patients who visit an orthodontist in Liverpool may be surprised to know that there are many ways wearing a brace can improve their lives in both the short term and the long term.
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Short term Benefits of Braces
Improved speech
Strange isn’t it? Many people associate the wearing of a brace with acquiring a lisp or slurring of words when in reality, the opposite is more likely.
Misaligned teeth can cause the tongue to move in an unusual way, causing issues with pronunciation and pitch for singers. Having a brace fitted by an orthodontist in Liverpool can reverse these issues in the short term, and cause long term changes to speech patterns and inflections.
Preventing gum disease
When teeth overlap or are crooked, it can cause difficulty with brushing.
This allows plaque to go unnoticed between or behind teeth, leading to further issues like tooth decay. However, one of the bigger issues with overlapping teeth is periodontal disease, which can be hard to treat successfully in a mouth with misaligned teeth.
As a brace starts to straighten teeth immediately, it will allow hygienists or dentists to remove accumulated plaque and prevent gum disease. Now that’s beneficial!
Long term Benefits of Braces
Improved oral hygiene
Straighter teeth are easier to clean, both at home and in the dentist chair.
Once the brace comes off, cleaning, whitening and all other forms of dental work become significantly easier to perform, leading to improved overall oral hygiene and a reduction in plaque and tartar.
Better digestion
There are more to teeth than simple aesthetics!
They are the first port of call in the digestive system and misaligned teeth cannot grind or break down food as well as straight teeth. This can lead to excess bloating, acid reflux and poor nutritional absorption.
A brace will help break down food effectively and allow for easier digestion.
Confidence!
One of the key things reported from previous wearers of braces is improved confidence.
No more hiding of smiles, no more worry about how their teeth will look in photographs; having a brace fitted in a sure-fire way to improve confidence and self-esteem long term.
Once the braces are off, your teeth will usually not require any further alignment work, allowing former patients to show off their smile to everyone. Perfect!
Which of these benefits of braces would propel you to make the decision to go ahead with this alignment procedure?
