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Health & Wellness

Having a spectacular smile is almost always a sign of overall good health. Many people think that braces and orthodontic treatments are all about a great smile and looking good, but that’s just part of the whole story. Current medical research makes a strong case for the importance of good dental hygiene, and that includes straight, properly aligned teeth and a correct bite.

Teeth that are crowded or overlapping make it difficult to properly clean the teeth and gums. When brushing or flossing cannot get into the spaces between the teeth, plaque begins to build up, leading to tooth decay and periodontal, or gum disease. Cleaning and maintaining healthy teeth and gums work best when every surface of the teeth and gums can be seen and treated properly.

Why Orthodontics Matters

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A bad bite can be the result of a poorly aligned upper jaw or lower jaw. In some cases, the smile doesn’t look bad, but an imprint shows a rocky road of teeth that do not fit together smoothly when the mouth is closed. This can place extra stress on the muscles involved in chewing and lead to headaches, TMJ disorders and even neck, shoulder and back pain. It also leads to uneven wear on the teeth surfaces, as some of the surfaces grind together and others don’t make contact at all.

An overbite, when the upper teeth lie too far forward, can give the appearance of ‘buck’ teeth, even when the teeth themselves may be perfectly fine. An underbite is when the lower teeth sit too far forward. If a person has the bad fortune to have an underbite combined with upper teeth that do not come forward enough, their face may look awkward. This is particularly difficult for children and pre-teens, who are extremely sensitive to appearance.

When people know that they have unattractive teeth, they become self-conscious and sometimes change how they smile. Trying to cover your teeth during a smile, with lips clenched over the teeth, looks strained and unnatural.

But when people do smile, they make their immune system stronger. Clinical research measuring the impact of smiling on body chemistry and blood pressure has documented the fact that smiling reduces blood pressure, releases endorphins that make you feel good and because a smile uses certain facial muscles, also improves the look on your face.

An attractive smile includes the size, alignment, proportion, and shape of the teeth, as well as the brightness of a smile. It means that the gum line is parallel to the upper lip, and not too much gum tissue is displayed while smiling. The front teeth are in proportion to the side teeth so they don’t stand out.

The mouth is the “entrance” to the rest of the body and its health is critical for proper breathing, speaking, chewing, swallowing and conveying emotions to the rest of the world. We know today that straight teeth and a balanced bite play a strong role in maintaining the natural health of the mouth and of the entire body. Modern orthodontics makes it possible for everyone to have a spectacular smile!