Problems with your bite, or the way your teeth and jaw fit together, can wreak havoc on your mouth. It can be painful, unattractive, and lead to other problems like tooth decay. A bad bite, or malocclusion, is one of the most common reasons that orthodontists fit patients with braces.
What does it mean to have a bad bite?
When your doctor says you have spacing or alignment problems, it’s likely that you have a bad bite. This includes crooked, crowded, or protruding teeth. A bad bite also includes having your upper and lower jaws meet improperly, even if your teeth look straight. Also, bite problems can be caused by teeth that are too close together or too far apart.
What causes bite problems?
The most common causes of bite problems are thumb-sucking, heredity, early tooth loss, and mouth trauma.
What are the benefits of correcting bad bites?
Braces can help with problems related to bite issues in a number of ways, including:
• Appearance – correcting a bad bite creates a more appealing smile, and therefore also improves your self-esteem.
• Tooth wear – an uneven bite can cause abnormal tooth wear, which sometimes leads to the need for crowns or veneers. Braces can correct this problem before your teeth have a chance to wear inappropriately.
• Jaw problems – a misaligned bite can lead to painful conditions like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
• Teeth cleaning – it is difficult to clean crooked, crowded, protruding, and overlapping teeth. Properly aligned teeth can be more thoroughly cleaned, and therefore have less decay.
Ask kids in the 12 and under crowd, and you’ll get an enthusiastic response to wearing braces on their teeth and getting to select colorful elastics. However, posing the same question to teenagers and adults doesn’t elicit such an excited reply. A major complaint about traditional braces is how they affect the patient’s appearance. There is a revolutionary alternative available today called Invisalign, which can improve your smile without negatively impacting your appearance.
Often called “clear braces,” Invisalign involves wearing a series of clear plastic aligners to shift your teeth. The removable aligners are worn over a period of one to two years, and your orthodontist will monitor your progress through visits every four to six weeks.
Almost everyone is a candidate for Invisalign. It can be a great option for teens and adults with fully erupted, healthy teeth. Here are some factors to consider when deciding if Invisalign is right for you:
• Wearing the aligners: the outcome is only as good as the treatment. You must agree to consistently wear the aligners about 22 hours a day, only removing them to eat, brush, or for special occasions.
• Temporary changes in your speech: sometimes the aligners can cause a minor alteration in your speech as you get used to a new set of aligners. This usually goes away as you get used to wearing them regularly.
• Teeth grinding: grinding or clenching your teeth excessively can put extra wear on your aligners. Ask your orthodontist about whether this could impact your success with Invisalign, as each case is unique.
• Staining: if you are hooked on coffee, tea, or other items known to commonly stain teeth, your aligners may get stained as well. Be careful about consuming too many staining items without brushing soon after.
Invisalign is becoming one of the most popular choices for people interested in straightening their teeth without wearing traditional braces. Your dentist or orthodontist will be able to help you determine if you are a good candidate, and to get you started on the road to a beautiful smile.
The spookiest night of the year is drawing close, and your little ghouls and goblins will be heading out to scare the neighbors and score some treats. You probably already know most of the safety rules when it comes to trick-or-treating, such as carrying a flashlight and wearing light-colored or reflective costumes. Another big one is inspecting the treats before your kids dig in, to make sure all the candy is safe. However, have you thought about looking at the candy for the purpose of making sure it’s acceptable for your child’s braces-clad teeth?
Your child’s orthodontist probably warned you to steer clear of certain foods that are known to commonly break or bend braces. Some of these items are pretty easy to avoid most of the time, but a jack-o-lantern full of candy can be very tempting. Many of the popular treats that your child may collect when trick-or-treating fit the guidelines of being hazardous to teeth undergoing orthodontic treatment. Here are some items to avoid:
• All hard candies
• All chewy candies
• Nuts
• Licorice
• Caramel
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Bubblegum
• Popcorn
• Hard pretzels
• Caramel and candy apples
This may seem like a list that will take all the fun out of Halloween, but there are still many treats that your child can enjoy. Some braces-friendly examples are plain chocolate candy, peanut butter cups, sliced apples, and soft cookies and cupcakes. Just remember to look for treats that aren’t sticky, chewy, hard, or crunchy. Also, most parents tend to give their children a free pass about indulging in sweets on Halloween, but don’t forget your regular brushing and flossing routine. Maintaining healthy teeth will help you have a hauntingly good time on Halloween, and throughout the year!
Whether you are a recreational athlete or a member of an organized team, injuries are possible. Wearing protective equipment will help you be able to focus on the activity instead of worrying about getting hurt. This is especially true of your mouth, because your teeth and gums are at risk of harm from many types of sports. Wearing a mouth guard is the best way to protect yourself.
Experts report that wearing mouth guards lowers the number of mouth injuries dramatically. There are several types of mouth guards available, and the type of guard affects the level of protection provided. Here are the main kinds of mouth guards with a description of each.
Ready-made
The simplest type of mouth guard is ready-made, meaning that it may be worn right out of the package without any alterations. It is inexpensive and available at most sporting goods stores. Unfortunately, this model doesn’t provide much protection and can be uncomfortable. It may be difficult to talk and breathe while wearing it.
Boil and bite
One step up among mouth guards is the boil and bite version, which you boil to make it pliable and then place it inside your mouth to fit it to your own teeth structure. It provides average protection and the fit is not exact.
Customized
The best kind of mouth guard is customized to fit your mouth exactly. A dentist creates the mouth guard by making an impression of your teeth. This model provides great protection and is the most comfortable, and doesn’t cause speech or breathing difficulties. Although it’s the most expensive choice, it is also the best for your safety.
The foods you eat and when you eat them affects your overall health, but also the health of your teeth and gums. If you eat too many foods loaded with sugar, and not enough foods containing important nutrients, your risk of tooth decay increases. How can choosing a smart diet prevent dental problems?
When plaque on your teeth meets sugar, which then causes acid to attack your teeth, your teeth begin to decay. Foods and drinks containing any type of sugar can lead to tooth decay. You should make a habit of reading the nutrition labels on foods, so that you can opt for the choices lowest in sugar. Common sugar-filled items to avoid include sodas, candy, cookies, and pastries.
On the other hand, certain nutrients help build up the health of your teeth and gums. If your diet lacks those vitamins and minerals, the tissues in your mouth will be less resistant to infection. This can lead to gum disease, which if untreated can end up in tooth loss. Experts suggest that gum disease worsens faster in people who maintain a poor diet.
The key is to eat a balanced diet containing the five major food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy foods. It’s also important to drink plenty of water. You should also limit snacking between meals, because those tend to be foods that fall outside the recommended food items for healthy teeth. Also, more saliva is produced during a meal, which is helpful in cleaning your mouth and reducing the harmful effects of acid on your teeth and gums.
For good dental health, remember to practice proper dental hygiene such as brushing and flossing regularly. Maintaining consistent dental checkups is another way to maintain your oral health. In the meantime, making smart choices in your diet will help keep your mouth in tip-top shape.
It’s not unusual for a portion of your braces to become loose at some point during treatment. Whether it’s a wire or a bracket or some other piece, it is not likely to go unnoticed. Loose pieces can poke the insides of your mouth, or affect your eating or speech.
The most frequent reasons for your braces becoming loose include:
• eating foods from the restricted list that your orthodontist provided
• a poor bond between the tooth and the bracket
• bad habits like biting your fingernails or chewing ice
• mouth trauma or injury
• change in your bite
Contact your orthodontist
The first thing you should do is discuss the problem with your orthodontist’s staff. The orthodontist may be able to recommend a temporary fix until your appointment. If an injury caused the problem, get help as soon as possible so that your orthodontist can evaluate the damage.
Common issues:
• If a bracket or wire is poking you and causing discomfort, place a piece of orthodontic wax over the item as needed. If you don’t have any wax, try using a piece of sugarless gum instead.
• If the small rubber elastic around a bracket has come off, try to avoid disturbing the bracket or touching it with your tongue.
• If something is extremely loose, remember that there is a risk of accidentally swallowing it. See your orthodontist if you feel that this might happen.
