We most usually see braces on teenagers because their age is the period when baby teeth are replaced with permanent fixtures. But these can run into several problems as they grow. Not all teeth grow in place perfectly. There can be instances of misalignment or overlapping, which are exactly the circumstances that can be fixed by wearing braces.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not you should wear braces belongs to your dentist. Backed by their education and knowledge on dental health, they can give you an expert recommendation with regard to fixing the position of your teeth. But because you only visit your dentist ideally twice every year, it would be helpful to know when you might be looking at the possibility of wearing braces. Here are some signs you should look out for.
Early loss of baby teeth
We mentioned that the teenage years are usually the period when permanent teeth start to form, but there are instances of premature development in kids. When baby teeth fall out earlier than expected, the chances of the improper growth of permanent teeth is high. So there’s a greater possibility of misalignment. In these instances, dentists would usually recommend braces to help fix the teeth formation.
Gaps in between teeth
Ideally, the gaps between our teeth should be little to none. But there are people who develop large gaps caused by a missing tooth or improper alignment. We might think that large, visible gaps in between teeth is not at all pleasing to look at. But beyond aesthetics, these gaps can hinder proper chewing of food and difficulty in biting. Braces are an easy fix to realign and bring teeth together.
Pain in the jaw
Misalignment of the teeth can cause problems with chewing and biting. But they also affect the formation of our mouth and result to a development issue in the jaw, which is the underlying cause of jaw pain. Braces can help relieve this pain and fix the positioning of your teeth to reduce the stress on the jaw.
Crooked teeth
The obvious and most common sign that you need braces is crooked teeth. If your teeth are blocking or overlapping each other, wearing braces for a certain period of time can put them back in place.
Biting problems
Ideally, our upper teeth should slightly exceed our bottom teeth when biting. But if the upper teeth overlap the bottom too much to the point that it is completely hidden, this is an abnormal occurrence known as the overbite. In contrast, some people also have their bottom teeth overlapping the upper. This, on the other hand, is known as the underbite which can cause jaw problems and imbalanced facial features.
There is also the problem of crossbite, which occurs when the teeth on the upper and lower portion do not align. There’s also the open bite, which is when the upper and lower teeth do not touch when in a biting position. All these biting problems can be fixed by wearing braces to help realign and reposition the teeth.
If you notice any of these signs, it might be time to check with an orthodontics clinic in Taylorsville and ask a dentist if you need to wear braces. A dentist is the only one who can truly know for certain if wearing braces is the solution to fix dental problems so you should always consult them beforehand.
