Why Bite Correction Is So Important
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We know the importance of straight teeth when it comes to confidence, appearance, functionality and better oral hygiene. What happens when your bite is off though? There are many health advantages that come with bite correction such as improved appearance, improved speech, and better functionality for chewing, biting and using the jaw. We can help you to know if your bite is off and how to correct the problem. We can also help you to know if your child needs additional orthodontic care or even surgical orthodontics to correct severe problems. At Hardy Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we are highly trained to provide you the knowledge and treatments you need to keep your teeth healthy and straight!
Power Through Straightening
Straight teeth are stronger than crooked teeth. When you have even alignment, you will exert just the right amount of pressure when biting and chewing that will work to your advantage when breaking up food for digestion. With crooked teeth, the teeth may be at different angles or vary between being in front of or behind the teeth on the opposing jaw. This will cause uneven pressure to strain certain teeth when you eat or chew (especially something hard). It could even cause a tooth to chip or fracture over time and no one wants that. Straight teeth feel and look better than crooked teeth. Straighter teeth lead to better oral health. Aligned teeth are easier to clean with brushing and flossing. You will also have a much higher chance of having healthier gums and teeth.
Strong Social Booster
Straighter teeth also work to your advantage in social settings. More and more adults are investing in orthodontic care with each passing year. ¼ of the patients who receive orthodontic care are actually adults. Why? The benefits of aligned pearly whites are just too good to pass up. In studies by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), they found that those who received orthodontic treatment found significant improvements in their professional and personal lives. 75% saw noticeable improvements in their career and personal relationships and 92% felt increased confidence. In an Invisalign study, people with straighter teeth were perceived to be more confident, trustworthy, successful and attractive than those who had crooked smiles.
Taking A Bite Out of Life
Your smile isn’t complete without a properly-functioning bite. Orthodontic care is one part aligning your pearly whites and one part bite correction. Both parts will make your smile whole and help you have the best oral health possible. You will need bite correction if you have overbite, underbite, crossbite, openbite or malocclusion, as the mouth just doesn’t function as well without correction. So, what do all these terms mean?
- Openbite – The front teeth don’t overlap the bottom ones or line up with them correctly. They may not even touch the lower jaw at all and there may be a gap present. Openbite is caused from tongue-thrusting or thumb-sucking. This is bad as it can wear out all your back molars.
- Underbite – The lower jaw sticks out more than the upper jaw instead of lining up together. Biting and chewing will be more difficult and problems like TMJ can form.
- Overbite – This is the opposite to underbite and is when the upper jaw sticks out more than the lower jaw. Patients tend to bite into gum tissue or wear out their front teeth when overbite is not corrected.
- Crossbite – The teeth overlap unevenly when they come together. Some will be in front of the lower jaw, and some will be behind. You could also chip and fracture a tooth much more easily.
Why Bite Correction Is Important
So how do we fix these problems? Early detection through frequent office visits can help us detect bite problems in children. In many cases, we are able to provide orthodontic care to correct problems before a child reaches adolescence. Then, we will provide orthodontic care to actually straighten the teeth. So in every case possible, we will try bite correction procedures early and then work on alignment afterwards.
For surgical orthodontics, we have to wait for a patient’s jaw to fully stop forming before work can be done. This is typically around age 18 for boys and age 16 for girls. We work in conjunction with an oral surgeon to correct major problems with the upper and lower jaw. We will do all the pre-surgery work with our patients and the post-surgical care as well to make sure your smile heals properly and is absolutely beautiful.
Bite Correction Can Change Your Life
Bite correction through orthodontic care or surgical orthodontics can literally change the life of a patient. Those who receive this care find that they can chew and bite normally, speak better and have a healthier mouth. A patient’s confidence will also increase. If you or your child could benefit from a correction, call our Hardy Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics office today at (720) 887-6003 for your free consultation!