Orthodontic treatment involves using braces to straighten the teeth, perfect the bite, and improve the overall appearance of the teeth and smile. Most orthodontic issues are caused by genetics, thumb-sucking, or tooth loss. Also, poor oral hygiene habits can cause malocclusions and crooked teeth. These bad habits may lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss if not corrected with orthodontic treatment. At Wesley Yemoto DDS, braces are one of the most common and effective orthodontic treatments.
Types of Orthodontics Treatments
Braces
Braces are made up of brackets placed on your teeth and a wire that helps guide teeth into proper alignment. Once your braces are in place, you must visit our office regularly for adjustments. These visits are typically scheduled every four to eight weeks. During your visits, we will adjust your wire to straighten your teeth. After the wires are changed, you can expect to feel sore for the next several days. However, the discomfort should dissipate on its own after a few days. If it does not go away, you may want to use orthodontic wax on the area that is causing the discomfort.
Invisalign
As a straightening system, Invisalign can correct many malocclusions, including overbites, crossbites, and underbites. The system can also help with spacing issues and crooked or protruding teeth. By wearing a series of clear trays, patients can achieve a straighter smile without the look of traditional braces.
The Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment
Easier Cleaning
Having orthodontic correction can make your teeth much more accessible for cleaning. Crowded or spaced-out teeth can be challenging to clean with any method and must be treated with special care. Orthodontic treatment can help make cleaning easier.
Reduced Risk of Gum Disease
Crowded or overlapped teeth can increase the risk of gum disease because the gums can become inflamed due to the increased amount of bacteria. The condition known as gingivitis occurs when bacteria is trapped in between the teeth and gums. Because removing plaque from a straight tooth is much easier than one with crowding, the chances of developing gingivitis or other gum-related conditions decrease with proper dental treatment.
Better Speech
Misalignment of the jaw can result in crossbites, open bites, underbites, overbites, and other malocclusions that affect how a person speaks. Overbites and underbites can prevent the proper pronunciation of certain sounds. Crossbites and open bites can affect speech by making the pronunciation of certain words more challenging.
Patients unhappy with spacing, crowding, and other common orthodontic issues are great candidates for treatment with braces or Invisalign. To find out which treatment option is suitable, visit Wesley Yemoto DDS at 4860 Cherry Ave # F, San Jose, CA 95118, or call (408) 266-9957 to learn more about orthodontics treatments.