Straight Teeth are Healthy Teeth: Why Alignment Matters

Your smile is an important part of the way you look. Having a healthy smile can give you more confidence, which can have a positive impact on many aspects of your life. But if you weren’t blessed with naturally straight teeth, you might think that it’s not a big deal.

While you can learn to live with having less than straight teeth, it’s not something you should have to do. Although aligning your teeth isn’t inexpensive, it’s a worthwhile investment no matter your age. Dr. Lovely Manlapaz Teodoro from The Dental Center of Hercules in Hercules, CA, offers this helpful guide on the importance of straight teeth.

What causes less-than-perfect teeth

You might think that straight teeth are something either you’re born with or you’re not. There is some truth to this: there’s certainly a genetic component to the way your teeth are formed. Genetic factors include crowded or crooked teeth, an underbite, or overbite. These problems usually result from having a mouth that is too small for your teeth.

However, other factors can also contribute to a smile that needs some attention, such as the following:

• Gum disease
• Injury, especially from certain sports
• Birth defects like cleft lip
• Tumors of the mouth or jaw
• Poorly fitting crowns or previous improper dental work
• Childhood habits, especially thumb sucking or prolonged pacifier use

How straight teeth improve your health

You might think that having straight teeth is only a cosmetic issue. But the alignment of your teeth impacts many other aspects of your oral health. You may be surprised by some of the major ways that the alignment of your teeth can affect the health of your mouth and jaw.

Straight teeth are easier to clean and floss. Being unable to properly clean and floss your teeth increases your risk of cavities and tooth decay. 

When your teeth are misaligned, it’s not just a matter of how you look. Misaligned teeth can have a significant impact on the health of your jaw. In the short term, you may deal with more pain upon chewing and even talking. 

In the long term, this jaw pain can lead to more chronic problems such as TMJ, a painful disorder of the temporomandibular joint. This joint connects your jaw to your facial muscles. Pressure on this joint and these muscles can lead to excruciating pain.

Misaligned teeth are more likely to break as a result of pressure. Broken teeth require more expensive repairs down the line, such as root canals and crowns.

Why Invisalign® is the right solution to alignment problems

It’s an outdated belief that metal braces are the only way to correct alignment problems. When most of us think about braces, we think about metal, wires, and rubber bands, and we assume that it’s a young teenager wearing them.

While these types of braces still exist, there’s a better alternative available, especially for adults. If you didn’t get braces when you were younger or didn’t achieve the results you wanted, you can still get the same benefits now from Invisalign.

As the name suggests, Invisalign uses transparent medical-grade aligners. Invisalign has several advantages over traditional braces. They move with your teeth, so you don’t experience the pain that you might with conventional braces. You can remove them when you eat, so you don’t have to worry about avoiding certain foods due to your braces. Invisalign also tends to cause less mouth pain.

Poorly aligned teeth are more than just a cosmetic issue: they can cause many oral health problems. Talk to Dr. Teodoro to find out if you’re a good candidate for Invisalign. Call the Hercules office at 510-254-3328 or book an appointment online.