When patients ask Dr. Hawryluk if braces are right for them they usually have a nice smile or esthetic reasons as their goal. While braces are often used to correct a crooked smile, this is not the only reason for prescribing them. There are several other circumstances where braces can be of benefit.
How do you determine whether or not you should get braces? Here are some of the reasons why St. Lawrence Dentistry may recommend braces to their patients:
Crowding/Spacing problems – issues with spacing between your teeth occur when teeth are spaced either too far apart from each other, or are too close to each other. There are several reasons for a “gapped tooth” smile. These include genetics, a childhood thumb sucking habit, loss of permanent teeth due to decay, naturally missing teeth, periodontal disease, or a thick frenum between the upper front teeth. Crowding can also be related to genetics as well as premature loss of baby teeth in addition to having larger teeth in a small mouth, and having extra teeth.
Overbite – occurs when the upper front teeth cover your bottom front teeth excessively. A slight overbite is rather common and considered pretty normal, however if the overbite is very noticeable, braces might be in order. A deep overbite can lead to wear of the lower front teeth and impingement of the lower front teeth on the palate.
Underbite – occurs when the lower front teeth protrude ahead of the upper front teeth in the horizontal dimension. There may be an underlying issue with the growth of the lower jaw in this case, so other appliances in combination with braces may be required.
Crossbite – A crossbite occurs when the upper jaw is too narrow compared to the lower jaw resulting in the upper back teeth sitting “inside” or toward the tongue. This can cause significant wear of the back teeth and lead to issues with the growth of the jaws. Therefore, braces in combination with expanders may be required. Your dentist is able to help diagnose an orthodontic problem and determine the best treatment options for you. While one of the greatest benefits of orthodontics is a straight smile, changing the alignment of teeth using braces can also help with function during chewing and eating, prevent unnecessary wear of the teeth, minimize future problems with the tempromandibular joints, help with speech problems and sleep apnea and improve the overall health of the teeth. When you get braces to help treat these issues, the straightening of your teeth and the improvement of your smile becomes an added bonus.
If Dr. Hawryluk feels braces are right for you he will refer you to a Board Certified Orthodontist. One excellent orthodontist in Port Credit is Dr. Preet Virdee.
Her website can be found here: https://hometownortho.ca/
Adults sometimes feel that braces may not be right for them because they may be too old and braces are traditionally only worn by children. This is a misnomer! In fact more and more adults are choosing braces not only to help with their smile but also improve their function. If you are still not sure whether or not braces are ideal for you, it might be a good idea to talk to Dr. Hawryluk about the great benefits that braces can provide.
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