Straight Teeth in Less Time
Signs You Need To See An Orthodontist
Lois Murray
Orthodontic treatment entails diagnosing, preventing, and treating teeth and jaw irregularities. However, you may not always know when to book an orthodontic appointment. So, if you're considering visiting an orthodontist, watch out for these signs.
Teeth Misalignment
Misalignment occurs when your top teeth don't align with the lower ones. The condition may cause the following bit problems:
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Underbite. Occurs when the lower teeth protrude from under the upper ones.
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Overbite. Occurs when the top teeth extend over the bottom ones.
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Open Bite. The condition arises when the lower and top teeth don't touch each other when you close your mouth.
These conditions may cause biting issues and pain. Additionally, teeth misalignment may negatively affect your smile and your social life. So, if your teeth are misaligned, see an orthodontist who offers teeth straightening treatments like Invisalign or metal braces.
Sleep apnea and shortness of breath
If you're experiencing shortness of breath, your airways may be blocked, limiting airflow throughout your body. This could be due to a narrow jaw palette. Ideally, too narrow jaw palettes can't accommodate all of your teeth in proper alignment, leading to teeth crowding. The crowded teeth prevent air from passing through your airways efficiently.
Therefore, if you breathe through your mouth to get sufficient oxygen, snore loudly, or wake up with a dry throat, these are indicators of sleep apnea. In such cases, an orthodontist can offer treatments to treat obstructed airways and improve sleep apnea symptoms.
Gaps
When teeth grow out of position, gaps may form in the mouth. These gaps may make you feel insecure when smiling. Additionally, crooked teeth provide hiding places for food particles to hide, encouraging the growth of bacteria. Therefore, maintaining proper dental hygiene for misaligned teeth may be challenging, increasing the risk of decay. Thus, gaps in between teeth are a sign that you should get orthodontic treatments such as braces to get your teeth back in the correct position.
Speech Problems
When you have speech problems, like talking with a lisp or whistling as you talk, this could indicate teeth misalignment. Hence, you may not be able to have clear conversations with people, which may affect your interactions. An orthodontist can fix the teeth problems you may be having and restore your speech.
The indicators that you should visit an orthodontist include speech problems, teeth misalignment, sleep apnea, and shortness of breath. Consider getting orthodontic treatment when you notice these signs.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.