Brace Yourself!
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. If you love that sexy gap between your front teeth, if you feel your little peg tooth brings you luck, if you think your imperfectly crowded front teeth give your smile character, then who is to tell you that you need things “fixed”. Orthodontics is not a rule or a requirement. It is oftentimes elective.
So, do you have the smile you desire?
In today’s age of social media and selfies and high resolution images, we tend to notice imperfections, or the whether or not the colour of people’s teeth is a sparkly white, a whole lot easier than we ever did. People are very acutely aware of their teeth not being “perfect” and hence the clamour to get braces or Invisalign or some form of teeth alignment therapy.
Peer pressure pushes not just youngsters but people of all ages to jump onto the orthodontic bandwagon.
The truth is that if you have strong and well-maintained teeth, then it’s fine to leave them the way they are.
Misaligned teeth should be a source of concern
However, what we don’t realize when we are young is that as we age, crowded teeth could lead to cavities due to poor access for cleaning.
Crowded teeth could also lead to gum disease since the bone between the teeth is thin and dissolves with time. This could become the cause for bleeding gum and tooth aches which may even need emergency treatment.
If a single tooth is way out of line, it could get wiggly as you age since the gum and bone cannot support it due to the repeated wear and tear.
If teeth are positioned in a way that the bite is very tight, then teeth chip off slowly but surely, making them jagged and short as one ages.
If a tongue pushing habit goes undiagnosed, then the gaps between teeth worsen with age.
Talk to your dentist
If your dentist recognizes one of these potential problems and recommends an orthodontic consult, it’s worth going in to get a second opinion.
Knowledge is power!
Once you know all aspects of treatment like the actual need for it, the discomfort involved, the time, the money etc, the decision and the time frame become easier to plan.
Like all dental decisions, orthodontics should be a well educated and informed decision by the patient.
If you are dissatisfied with one opinion, request your dentist to meet other orthodontists they trust so that you are convinced of your decision.
Beware of online or mailbox orthodontics where a real person does not see you.
Orthodontic treatment works!
Whether your teeth demand it or you do, orthodontics is a great tool to get your teeth ideally, healthily and aesthetically positioned so that they stay long and happy.
To brace or not to brace is in your hands. Use the help of experienced dentists and take the call….
