The Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment
Undergoing orthodontic treatment is no walk in the park. It often comes with moments of discomfort, additional care and maintenance, poking wires and brackets, and food restrictions. However, the benefits always outweigh the challenges as you are left with a sparkling, straight smile, aligned teeth, and an aligned jaw.
Aside from receiving a smile, you are proud to show off, orthodontic treatment has various other benefits that give you additional reasons to be thankful this year. Here are a few benefits of orthodontic treatment and how it can improve your overall quality of life:
Improved Speech
The alignment of your teeth and jaw impacts the placement of your tongue when forming words. Whether there is a gap in your teeth, overcrowding, an underbite, or an overbite, you may experience speech problems such as a lisp, whistling sound, slurred speech, or mispronunciation of certain letters. By correcting your teeth and jaw alignment, you also allow your tongue to make a proper connection between the roof of your mouth and your teeth, allowing you to speak more clearly.
While orthodontic treatment is not the only solution for speech impediments, it can help correct various issues. After your treatment is complete, not only will you have a perfect smile, but you will also have a significant improvement in your speech as well.
Reduced Headaches and Neck Pain
When your teeth are misaligned, your jaws often become strained, increasing your risk for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. TMJ often leads to the tensing of specific facial muscles, neck muscles, and even into your shoulders. This muscle tension can contribute to severe headaches, causing extreme discomfort.
Orthodontic treatment helps relieve the strain in your jaws, significantly alleviating any facial pain you may have been experiencing. Reducing the frequency of your headaches and additional pain also improves the overall quality of your life.
Improved Sleep
Getting a restful night’s sleep is pertinent to your overall health. Good sleep improves your mood, reduces stress, boosts your immune system, and allows you to think more clearly. However, people who suffer from sleep apnea experience multiple interruptions throughout the night because of pauses in their breathing. By expanding your upper jaw or the upper arch of your mouth, orthodontic treatment could be the answer to sleeping through the night.
Additionally, many people clench their jaws and grind their teeth throughout the night. This can lead to consequential wear and tear on your teeth, causing them to crack, chip, or ache. Similarly, grinding your teeth can also weaken your teeth, making them more susceptible to tooth decay. Braces are incredibly effective in treating clenching and grinding by aligning your teeth and jaws.
Reduced Risk of Tooth Decay
If you experience overcrowded teeth, you may find it more difficult to floss in between your teeth and brush in between each crevice of them. You also may discover food getting stuck in your teeth more frequently. This could lead to the accumulation of plaque and bacteria, further leading to tooth decay.
Once your teeth are straight and aligned, it becomes exponentially easier to properly clean them, reducing your risk of tooth decay. To maintain good oral health, you should brush your teeth twice per day for two minutes each time and floss at least one time daily. With straight, aligned teeth, flossing is a smoother and simpler task. Orthodontic treatment has long-term results on the health of your smile.
Improved Confidence
Your smile is one of the most notable facial characteristics. If you have overcrowded or crooked teeth, this could cause you to feel insecure or not proud of your smile. Having negative feelings about your smile can directly impact your overall confidence. You may not smile with your teeth in photographs or try to cover your mouth when speaking in public.
Undergoing orthodontic treatment allows you to have a smile you are proud of. Having straight, bright, and beautiful teeth will help you gain newfound confidence and share your smile with everyone around you.
Get the Smile You Deserve at LVL Orthodontics
The team at LVL Orthodontics has decades of experience producing gorgeous and effective results. Our mission is to give you the personalized, first-class treatment and exceptional care you deserve.
To have the smile you have always dreamt of, call our office at (469) 455-1355 or contact us online today.