How Orthodontics Can Improve Overall Oral Health: Beyond Just Straightening Teeth

Unlocking Optimal Dental Health With Orthodontics

Many people associate orthodontics with purely cosmetic outcomes, such as a straighter smile or the resolution of gaps. However, there’s a lot more to it than that. Orthodontic treatments are often necessary to ensure long-term oral health and improve function. Here’s what you should know about the benefits of orthodontic treatment.

Improved Bite Function

There are many different ways that orthodontic issues can affect patients’ smiles. An overbite, underbite, crossbite, crowding, or other similar issue can all contribute to potential problems. When teeth don’t align properly, there are both immediate and long-term concerns related to bite function, which is one of the top priorities in the field of orthodontics.

Misaligned teeth don’t fit together properly when the mouth is closed, which causes practical issues when biting and chewing food. The pressure involved in biting is no longer properly distributed, causing certain parts of the mouth and individual teeth to bear excessive force. In serious cases, that can lead to chips and cracks. A more common outcome is gradual enamel wear, leading to tooth sensitivity and increased risk of decay as teeth grind against each other over the years.

But the uneven pressure affects more than just the teeth themselves. Orthodontics is also concerned with the jaw, which can become strained due to misalignment. Patients with bite issues are likely to develop temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), from which jaw pain, headaches, and other symptoms often arise.

Orthodontic treatment options provide solutions for all of these issues. Early treatment can stop young patients from developing bite problems in the first place. But even in older patients, straightening teeth is still a worthwhile solution, as it allows for pressure to be spread evenly when biting.

Easier Oral Hygiene

Proper oral hygiene at home is essential to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other serious oral health issues. Many orthodontic problems make oral hygiene more difficult for patients, leaving them more susceptible to these risks.

Bacteria in the mouth form plaque and tartar deposits most effectively in hidden nooks and crannies. Patients who brush and floss are well protected if they reach all tooth surfaces and don’t skip over cleaning at the gumline. However, that becomes much more challenging when orthodontic issues are present.

Straight, properly spaced teeth are relatively easy to care for, but misalignment and crowding change that. Teeth that are crooked or too close together create areas that are much more difficult to care for. Patients may no longer be able to reach them thoroughly through brushing or flossing or may be unwilling to make the additional effort.

Plaque and tartar can quickly take hold in these isolated areas. And from there, cavities may develop, leading to deep tooth decay if left untreated. Deposits around the gumline increase the risk of gum disease, creating an ideal environment for the development of gingivitis and periodontitis.

Seeking out orthodontic treatment allows patients to achieve better oral hygiene in the long run. They can protect themselves from tooth decay and gum disease and avoid long-term consequences such as tooth loss and the need for dental restorations.

Prevention of Future Dental Problems

Like many other forms of dental care, orthodontic solutions are best applied as early as possible. Orthodontic issues only get worse as time goes on, and they bring a variety of complications with them.

Ideally, children will regularly visit their dentist so they can monitor oral development and identify potential issues. Those patients can then receive early orthodontic intervention as needed, often avoiding later treatments such as braces altogether.

Putting off orthodontic care puts patients at serious risk of long-term damage to their oral health. As mentioned earlier, misaligned teeth grind against each other, wearing away enamel that doesn’t grow back. And uneven pressure leads to potential physical damage and jaw pain.

Receiving orthodontic care as soon as possible is the best solution for your patients. It will help them avoid many potential complications and achieve strong, beautiful, and healthy smiles. Having the necessary knowledge and experience to evaluate and diagnose orthodontic issues lets you better support your patient base.

Providing orthodontic care directly through your practice is another way to help achieve the best outcomes for your patients. They’ll be more likely to get on board with treatment coming from their trusted dentist than from a referred specialist. And continuing education courses make implementing orthodontics more accessible than you might think.

Provide the best for your patients through orthodontics.

Orthodontics is a pillar of dental care, ultimately providing your patients with stronger oral health and more beautiful smiles. With the right orthodontics courses, you can develop the skills and knowledge you need to support your patients with long-term orthodontic care. Browse these courses from the American Orthodontic Society to find your next opportunity.