Orthodontics can be very important to the long term health of the teeth and the overall well-being of a person.
There are several reasons one may decide orthodontic treatment is right for them or a family member. Orthodontics is more than just straightening teeth!
Children should have their first orthodontic visit by the age of seven. At that time the child may not be ready to begin treatment; however, the orthodontist can evaluate for future indications for treatment and determine if any preventative treatments are indicated at that time.
Such as:
–If a child has an oral habit, such as sucking their thumb, the orthodontist can prescribe an appliance that can assist in discontinuing the habit. The appliance would be placed in the mouth to stay until the habit has stopped.
–Adolescents and adults may have issues with grinding or clenching their teeth which can cause jaw pain. This pain is also referred to as TMD (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction). The pain is often caused by tense or tight muscles in the jaw and may be in conjunction with jaw joint noises when opening. A night guard can be made to prevent the teeth from touching and thereby reduce the tightness of the involved jaw muscles.
–Malocclusion is when the bite of the lower and upper arches are not aligned. An overbite is when the upper teeth appear to protrude in front of the lower teeth when biting down. An underbite is when the lower teeth and/ or jaw protrudes out in front of the upper teeth. Both of these issues require braces for the best possible long term correction. Some examples of what can be affected by teeth not fitting together properly when biting down are:
- Teeth can become worn down or broken by the way the opposing teeth touch. By fixing the bite early, more complicated and expensive dental procedures may be avoided.
- Eating may be difficult with some bites. Biting into some foods may even be impossible to do or cause pain if attempted. Fixing the bite can improve a person’s self-esteem and confidence level by not having to be cautious of these foods any longer.
–Crowding of the teeth is when the teeth are not aligned properly in the mouth. For example, teeth may overlap, be rotated, or may not have room to come in the mouth completely. When teeth are crowded it can make flossing and proper brushing technique difficult, thereby increasing the likelihood of future cavities and expensive, time-consuming filings.
–When a patient is not happy with their smile it can affect their confidence level. They may not smile because they don’t want to show others their teeth. This lack of confidence can negatively affect a person’s daily life and well-being.
So, as you can see, the appropriate timing of orthodontic treatment can affect more than just an improved appearance of the teeth!
Events coming up:
Drs. Reid & Reid and staff are proud to be a sponsor for these upcoming community events-
We are also proud to be sponsors of Henderson County Youth Baseball and Henderson County Youth Softball
In May we will be celebrating 11 years of serving Henderson County and the surrounding area. To show our patients how much we appreciate them we will be giving out a free ice cream coupon from Kilwins to all current patients.
Thank you for your continued support! We are looking forward to many more years!
