Crooked teeth may make you want to hide your smile. But aesthetic issues aren’t the only ones that crooked teeth can bring. They can cause serious problems with your oral health. Dr. Suman Chibb of Owings Mills Dental Care, a dentist in Owings Mills, MD, explains why it’s important to get them fixed.
The Aesthetics of Your Smile
Primarily, people think of crooked teeth as a cosmetic problem. The ideal is to have a straight, even, white smile. A smile is something that people notice and something you should want to show off, not hide. If you have crooked teeth, you may spend more time trying to hide your smile while laughing and talking instead of just enjoying the moment.
They’re Harder to Clean
A straight smile isn’t just ideal for cosmetic reasons, but it’s also better for your oral health. Crooked teeth are often harder to clean. They create odd gaps, overlapping teeth, and cramped spaces where it may be difficult to even get dental floss in. This creates problems with tooth decay and gum disease.
When you’re unable to clean your teeth properly, food particles and bacteria build up in the areas you can’t reach. Harmful oral bacteria emit an acidic byproduct that contributes to tooth decay. If there are areas that are hard to reach at the gum line, pockets can start to form due to gum disease. These pockets encourage more buildup and require periodontal therapy to fully get them clean.
It Can Impact Your Bite
A misaligned bite might be something you don’t worry about. But it causes pain and leads to developing a TMJ disorder. When your bite is misaligned, the teeth don’t come together the way they’re supposed to. The pressure is unevenly spread throughout your smile and can lead to cracked or chipped teeth. It also puts more pressure on the jaw joint and ligaments surrounding it.
TMJ disorders cause pain throughout the jaw joint, as well as your head and face. Pressure may radiate down to your neck and shoulders. TMJ and having a misaligned bite can also impact how you eat or speak. Your jaw may get stuck or pop and crack when you go to open and close it.
Treating Crooked Teeth
At Owings Mills Dental Care, we offer Invisalign to help you straighten your crooked teeth. Using clear aligners that are customized for your smile, they’ll slowly move your teeth into place. Invisalign can take care of mild to moderate orthodontic concerns, helping underbites and overbites as well as crooked and cramped teeth.
Many patients prefer Invisalign to traditional metal braces if they’re eligible for Invisalign treatment. The aligners are practically invisible and you can take them out to eat, meaning you don’t have to adhere to a specific diet.
Treating Crooked Teeth at Your Owings Mills, Maryland Dentist
Get a straighter smile and eliminate the problems that come with crooked teeth. Call us or schedule an appointment online.