Straight Teeth Are Healthy Teeth: Why Alignment Matters

If you’ve been considering braces for yourself or your child, you might be thinking about achieving that perfect smile. You might be surprised to know having perfectly aligned teeth also has significant health benefits.

Here at Sacred Dental & Associates, PC, Dr. Agatha Nwizu recommends orthodontic treatment to patients to help them attain optimal oral health alongside aesthetic changes. These are some of the ways having straight teeth and a properly aligned bite keep your mouth in tip-top shape.

You get fewer cavities

It’s easier to brush all of your teeth equally well when they’re properly aligned. Even when you’re conscientious about your oral health, crooked teeth make it harder to reach all of the areas you need to brush.

Areas you can’t reach easily are more likely to decay, increasing your risk of cavities and gum disease. With straight teeth, you up your odds of keeping your teeth cavity- and decay-free throughout life.

Your teeth wear evenly

It’s harder to chew properly when you have crooked teeth or an over- or underbite. As a result, you end up chewing more frequently with some teeth than others.

This can lead to your teeth wearing unevenly, as well as increasing your risk of damage to your teeth. Having properly aligned teeth makes it easier to chew as nature intended.

You reduce your risk of TMJ disorder

TMJ disorder results from stress in the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) — the joints that connect the jawbone to the skull — leading to pain in the jaw, head, and face. This condition most commonly occurs when your TMJs don’t line up properly, increasing the strain on your joints.

TMJ misalignment often results from an overbite, underbite, or crooked teeth. You’re much less likely to get this painful condition with a correctly aligned mouth.

How to fix misaligned teeth

Fortunately, straightening your teeth and aligning your jaw are simpler and faster than ever. Dr. Nwizu offers multiple orthodontic treatments to fix your smile, including Fastbraces®, Invisalign®, and traditional braces.

If you’re a candidate for Fastbraces, you can achieve that perfectly straight smile quickly, often in just 100 days. Invisalign uses clear, discreet, and removable aligners that allow treatment to progress at a flexible pace, while traditional braces work well to correct even the most serious misalignments.

If you or a loved one has misaligned teeth and any resulting health problems, or you simply don’t like the way your teeth and smile look, it’s time to consider orthodontic solutions. Dr. Nwizu offers customized orthodontic treatment to children and adults at two convenient locations in Stockbridge and Conyers, Georgia.

To schedule your initial consultation at Sacred Dental, book an appointment online or contact your preferred location by phone.