Your teeth play a vital role in the way you pronounce words, braces can shift your disproportionate teeth and correct your bite, improving pronunciation and reducing word slurring.

Misaligned teeth create an uneven distribution of pressure on your jawbones, which puts your teeth at a higher risk for cavities and gum disease. Braces help you achieve a healthy, balanced smile that’s easier to clean and maintain.

Improved Oral Hygiene

Crooked teeth create hard-to-clean nooks and crannies that harbor bacteria, increasing your risk of gum disease and tooth decay. By straightening your smile, braces make it easier to brush and floss regularly, reducing plaque buildup and lowering the risk of these dental issues.

Braces also correct bite problems, such as an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite. By adjusting the position of your teeth, these issues prevent them from grinding against each other when you chew, which can lead to premature wear and tear on specific teeth or jaw pain.

In addition, a healthy bite allows you to chew food more effectively, which can improve digestion and help you maintain a healthy weight. It can also help you better enjoy the textures and flavors of various foods, encouraging mindful eating. This benefit, along with improved oral hygiene, makes a strong case for investing in braces. They will pay dividends for your oral health well into the future.

Reduced Risk of Gum Disease

A big benefit of orthodontic treatment is that straight teeth reduce your risk for gum disease. Misaligned teeth often lead to an improper bite, which causes an uneven distribution of pressure that can strain the jaw joints and cause temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Braces apply controlled, gradual strain to the teeth to move them into healthier positions. In addition, correcting malocclusion reduces the pressure placed on the teeth and gums during chewing and speaking.

However, if you have braces, you’ll need to be especially vigilant about your oral hygiene. Food particles can get trapped between the wires and brackets, and this creates the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to thrive. Regular brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist for cleanings are the best ways to prevent gum disease while you have braces. Gingivitis caught early can be easily reversed, but if it goes untreated it can progress to periodontitis. This can damage the hard and soft tissues of the mouth, and it also increases your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Better Jaw Joint Health

One of the biggest long-term benefits of braces is improved jaw health. Misaligned teeth can restrict natural jaw movements, which can lead to pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), as well as headaches and difficulty chewing. Braces correct these problems by improving the alignment of your teeth and bite. They also redistribute bite pressure evenly across your teeth, which can reduce the stress on specific teeth and help prevent premature wear and tear that can lead to crooked or cracked teeth. TMJ pain can also result from teeth grinding, or bruxism, and braces can help manage this issue as well.

TMJ issues can lead to trouble chewing, which can make it difficult or even impossible to enjoy a wide range of foods. Braces can resolve these problems by aligning your teeth and bite so that it is easier to eat a variety of different foods. Braces can also help to address the problems that often lead to bruxism, such as crowded or crooked teeth that create hidden nooks and crannies where food particles and bacteria can collect.

A More Attractive Smile

The orthodontic process slowly shifts crooked or protruding teeth to improve the overall alignment of your smile. This includes the positioning of your molars and premolars. In the end, you will have a more attractive, healthy smile that’s sure to impress.

Teeth that are crowded or misaligned may be difficult to clean, leading to an increased risk of plaque buildup, gum disease and tooth loss. Braces correct these issues by opening up space and making it easier to brush and floss, reducing the risk of these problems in the future.

Additionally, the way your teeth align can also impact how you pronounce certain words. When teeth are disproportionate, they can cause speech impediments that make you sound less professional. Braces can adjust the positioning of these problematic teeth and correct an overbite or underbite, eliminating the slurring that often results from these issues. This will allow you to speak clearly and professionally, which can boost your self-esteem and confidence.