Straightening Teeth

--for health

What are some of the reasons for straightening teeth?:

• make them look better-generally straight teeth look nicer
• improve the "bite"-sometimes the way the teeth meet can be destructive and moving them into better positions will help them function better and last longer
• improve health-this one will require some explaining

Most often, people only think of orthodontics in terms of appearance. There is another dimension to orthodontic treatment that I would like to point out. When teeth are crooked, or misaligned, they are difficult to clean. Here are some other problems that can occur:

The gums may become compressed between teeth that are too close together.

If teeth are not quite touching, food and plaque can be forced under the gums during chewing.

The bone around the teeth is distorted when teeth are out of position and this can sometimes leads to bone resorption.

Plaque builds up in areas where it is difficult to reach with a brush or floss.

The teeth and gums are designed to be easy to maintain. If teeth are in alignment, the forces during chewing are all in the right places, so they will not harm the teeth. The gums are draped over the bone in sufficient quantity to act as a barrier to bacteria, deflect food away from the teeth and cover the roots. The teeth all touch each other so that plaque and bacteria do not become lodged in-between. I have just described the perfect mouth. By realigning the teeth with orthodontics, the mouth can be closer to this perfect condition, which leaves it easier to clean, so it will be healthier.

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