Six Hidden Benefits of Braces

Improving More than just Aesthetics

At Whitlock Orthodontics, most of our patients associate braces with achieving a picture-perfect, straight smile. But the cosmetic transformation braces bring to your smile isn’t the only reason we encourage orthodontic treatment. The benefits of orthodontic treatment reach far beyond the aesthetics of your smile. Dr. Whitlock and the team at Whitlock Orthodontics play a huge role in changing the look of your smile while also improving your overall oral health. We all know that braces change and improve the alignment of your teeth, but here are six other benefits from the Whitlock Orthodontics team.

• Improved Oral Health

Did you know that crooked or misaligned teeth create the perfect environment for plaque and bacteria to reside? When your teeth are misaligned, the nooks and crannies serve as hiding spots for small particles of food. That hidden food turns into bacteria and plaque, and that bacteria turns into cavities.

When you correct the alignment with braces, you eliminate the nooks and crannies that food loves to hide in and make it easier to effectively brush and floss. So, braces actually help you fight cavities, gum disease, tooth decay and other oral health issues.

• Enhanced Function

Did you know that you can have straight teeth and still need braces? Dr. Whitlock uses braces to move crooked teeth into their proper place, but they also work to properly align your bite and jaw.

Misaligned bites, or malocclusions, refer to how the jaws meet when the mouth is closed and are referred to as overbites, underbites, crossbites and open bites. A misaligned bite can cause severe jaw pain, headaches, difficulty chewing, and speech issues. The consistent, gentle pressure of braces helps teeth move into their proper place, addressing your malocclusions and creating harmony and optimal function in your bite.

• Speech Clarity

Sometimes braces can cause a slight alteration in your speech during treatment, but they definitely make up for that with their benefits of speech improvement after treatment is complete. Most malocclusions or misaligned jaws hinder your speech in one way or another.

As braces move your teeth and bite into proper alignment, you’ll notice improvements in your speech and clarity as well. Braces can also improve and correct the placement of your tongue, which can correct speech issues associated with a tongue thrust or incorrect tongue resting posture.

• Complication Prevention

Orthodontic treatment is both a time investment and a monetary investment. This investment extends into the future of your overall oral health, not just in the aesthetics of your smile.

Dr. Whitlock uses braces and clear aligners as a proactive approach to save patients from pain, discomfort, dental procedures, and other issues associated with misaligned teeth. When you invest in your overall oral health with braces, you are preventing more severe complications from occurring in the coming years.

• Improved Digestion and Breathing

Although most of your digestion takes place in your small intestines, digestion actually starts in your mouth. Your teeth play a huge role in physically breaking down food into smaller particles before those particles are carried into your stomach and eventually into your small intestines. Misaligned teeth can negatively affect your ability to chew properly and may contribute to digestive issues.

Misaligned bites, open bites, crossbites, overbites or underbites can also contribute to breathing issues. The position of your jaw can affect the alignment of your airway and can cause a myriad of airway and breathing complications such as nasal breathing, sleep apnea, improper tongue position, and more.

• Dental Stability

Did you know that misaligned teeth are more vulnerable to wear and damage? Crooked teeth, or misaligned teeth, suffer an uneven distribution of pressure and forces, increasing the chances of tooth wear and fractures.

Misaligned teeth are more susceptible to trauma, especially in individuals who engage in contact sports. When your teeth are straight, the forces are evenly distributed on all of your teeth, decreasing the likelihood of injury and promoting the long-term health of your smile.

At Whitlock Orthodontics, our number one goal is to use braces or clear aligners to transform the look of your smile while simultaneously maximizing the function of your teeth. Our team uses a comprehensive treatment approach to correct malocclusions and misalignments to improve and sustain your overall oral health. We know our patients love achieving the smile of their dreams, and our team loves knowing the lasting improvements orthodontic treatment makes on all of our patients’ smiles. When you choose to invest in orthodontic treatment at Whitlock Orthodontics, you are choosing to improve both the cosmetic and the function of your smile.

If you have any questions about the benefits of straightening your teeth with orthodontic treatment, call our Whitlock Orthodontics team today at 479-333-1370. We are ready to embark on a journey to overall oral health with you and your family!