Crooked Teeth Can Cause Pain
Don't think your crooked teeth look that bad? Even if you don't mind the look of your smile, crooked teeth can affect more than your physical appearance.
The Gist of Jaws
The upper jaw, or maxilla, is part of the skull and it doesn't move. In children, the maxilla is joined at the root of the mouth by soft tissue that grows into one bone mass by about age 17. Our upper teeth are a little bigger than the lowers. We call the lower jaw the mandible. When the maxilla and the mandible work properly, they chew, grind, and tear our food, facilitate normal speech, swallowing, and basic oral health. When your jaws don't align well, you may not be able to eat, breathe or communicate normally.
How's your occlusion today? When your jaws meet nicely and teeth are configured properly in your jaw, that's occlusion. When the fit is not right, it's called a malocclusion. Left untreated, malocclusion can lead to periodontal disease and create abnormal amounts of stress on teeth and jaws, which lead to premature wear.
Getting the Bite Right
Attempts at bite correction can be traced to ancient Greek and Roman cultures.
With more adults seeking treatment their parents couldn't afford when they were youngsters, this is a very exciting time in orthodontics. Heavy metal bands? They're passé. Most of us have heard the news about braces. And most of us have heard about Invisalign – the clear braces.
Invisalign braces were developed with orthodontists. They are virtually an invisible solution to help with malocclusion. By using a series of clear, removable aligners your teeth are gradually moved towards a better bite. The aligners are changed about every two weeks. They are clear and comfortable to wear. The average treatment time is about one year.
You are able to brush and floss normally to keep your teeth and gums healthy while wearing Invisalign braces. Your crooked teeth just got straighter and healthier for your overall health.