Someone said: “Nothing you wear is more important than your smile”, and yet many people still try not to smile. There are many reasons why people resist smiling and one of them is the embarrassment. Many people are embarrassed by their crooked teeth and will do anything to avoid smiling or if they really have to smile they will cover their mouths.

If you want to smile more and share your smile with the world, there is a pretty simple solution – visit an orthodontist.

Let’s see who is an orthodontist and why you should consider seeing them.

Who are orthodontists?

Orthodontists are the dental specialists who help people with misaligned jaw, overbites, occlusions and all kinds of facial irregularities. Simply put, they help people realign their crooked teeth thus making them more confident and willing to smile.

Patients of all ages can visit orthodontists, but the ideal age to visit an orthodontist is seven years old. This is a perfect age as the doctor will be able to see the whole picture of the patient’s orthodontic health and see if there are certain problems such as overbite, misaligned jaw or crooked teeth.

However, it’s important to know that fixing crooked teeth isn’t merely for cosmetic purposes but for the sake of your health too. So, let’s see the reasons why you should consider visiting an orthodontist. Also, it’s important to choose a good orthodontist such as an expert Penrith orthodontist who can help you find suitable treatment and options available.

Why you should visit an orthodontist?

Better self-esteem and straighter teeth

The first and most obvious reason is the straighter teeth and smile. Your orthodontist will use braces and other teeth straightening devices to straighten your teeth. Straighter teeth offer more confidence and self-esteem.

Getting used to braces will take some time and it will be frustrating at times, but try thinking about the final outcome and the life with a straight smile. You’ll see how straighter teeth will improve your self-confidence and how you’ll smile more often.

Lower risk of tooth decay

Crooked teeth are usually overlapped and crowded and thus are much harder to keep clean. Food leftovers get trapped in the places that can’t be cleaned well and then plaque is created. Plaque then starts eating away your teeth enamel causing cavities.

If cavities form in hard-to-see places, like between teeth, they are harder to detect and treat, and they can become a huge problem. This problem can even affect your gums if not treated in time.

So, as you can see, straightening your teeth is not for aesthetic and cosmetic purposes only, but for the sake of your whole dental and oral health, too.

Preventing jaw pain and improving speech

People with misaligned and crowded teeth tend to excessively grind their teeth. They may also have difficulty chewing and other similar problems that result in jaw pain.

The best solution for misaligned and crowded teeth is visiting an orthodontist at an early age. If detected early, braces can help in jaw development and thus they prevent any future jaw pain.

Similarly, people or children who have a lisp due to poorly aligned teeth put too much pressure on their jaw muscles and joints and this pressure causes pain. The best way to avoid this kind of pain and pressure to the jaw is by visiting an orthodontist and dealing with misaligned teeth.

Treating malocclusion

Malocclusion is the difference between the size of the lower and upper jaws and the difference between the size of the teeth and the jaw. Malocclusion is usually hereditary but it can also be caused by thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and prolonged use of pacifiers and bottles.

Malocclusion causes the overcrowding of teeth or abnormal bite patterns, and it also causes the abnormal appearance of the face There are three different categories of malocclusion with the first being the most common.

The first class malocclusion includes normal bite but the upper teeth slightly overlap lower ones. The second class is known as an overbite and it happens when the upper jaw and teeth significantly overlap lower jaw and teeth. And finally, the third type is an underbite and occurs when the lower jaw protrudes overlapping upper jaw and teeth.

Malocclusion is the perfect example of why you should visit the orthodontist and why you should have your teeth aligned.

Author's Bio: 

Mia Johnson is a writer with a ten-year-long career in journalism. She has written extensively about health, fitness, and lifestyle. A native to Melbourne, she now lives in Sydney with her 3 dogs where she spends her days writing and taking care of her 900 square feet garden.