While the most obvious benefit of having braces is straight teeth and a beautiful smile, there are many other less obvious benefits of orthodontics. Crooked teeth are not only difficult to clean and maintain and may lead to tooth decay or worsening gum disease. Crooked teeth may also cause misalignment of the jaw. Improper jaw alignment can lead to abnormal wear of the tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on the teeth, and misalignment of the jaw joints. Often, headaches and face or neck pain are symptoms of these orthodontic issues.
Many orthodontic problems are acquired genetically. Such problems include overcrowding, excess space between teeth, a protruding upper lip, extra or missing teeth, a jaw growth problems. These issues may also be a result of thumb sucking, mouth breathing, dental disease, abnormal swallowing, poor oral hygiene, trauma, poor nutrition, and early or late loss of the baby teeth.
Orthodontic procedures can be a significantly cheaper option than the additional care that may be required to treat the dental complications that arise from misaligned teeth. Orthodontic treatment is not only a solution, it is prevention.