If you slide your tongue around your teeth, do you notice anything crooked or out of place? It might be tempting to ignore those seemingly minor flaws. After all, the only options for straightening teeth are expensive, time-consuming, uncomfortable, or all three.
But straightening your teeth isn’t how it used to be, and you might be surprised at the number of health benefits you’re missing out on by hanging on to your snaggle tooth.
Dr. Thomas Hernandez and our team at Heritage Dental know that straightening your teeth isn’t just about getting a better-looking smile — it’s about getting a better functioning smile that supports your health, too.
Here, we’re sharing the top five reasons why we think you should commit to straightening your teeth.
If you think of your teeth and individual cogs in a big machine, then it’s easy to understand that even one tooth slightly out of alignment can wreak havoc on how your mouth functions. The excess wear and tear on your teeth can lead to cracked teeth, as well as other problems, including jaw strain, temporomandibular joint disorder, and chronic headaches.
When your teeth are crooked, it can interfere with the way you chew. For example, you might chew on one side of your mouth. You may also not thoroughly chew your food, which can lead to digestion problems.
Many of our patients come to us feeling self-conscious about the way their smile looks, and researchers agree that smile problems are just as much a cosmetic issue as they are an oral health problem.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) studied how someone’s smile affected their first impression. Participants reported that a person appears 37% less attractive and 25% less confident if they have smile flaws.
Imagine facing the world with a smile you know looks and functions great.
Does it feel like your teeth are working against you when you brush and floss? That’s because crooked teeth are much harder to clean than straight teeth. And when you can’t properly clean your mouth, bacteria and plaque buildup, leading to gum disease and tooth decay.
Misaligned teeth can also disrupt the way you articulate sound, causing problems with the way you speak.
You want to straighten your teeth and start reaping the many health benefits, but you can’t get the image of headgear and wires out of your head. We get it.
Fortunately, your teeth-straightening options have become more comfortable and cost-effective than ever before. We offer one of the industry’s leading clear aligners: Invisalign®.
With a series of custom-made, clear aligners, we can help you straighten your smile in a matter of months without anyone noticing.
Want to see if you’re a candidate for Invisalign? We want to talk with you. Request an appointment online or over the phone at our Tomball, Texas, office to get started today.
