How to Know if You Need Braces

If you have ever thought about getting braces, now may be the time to take the first step. Getting braces helps straighten your smile and also corrects many dental issues that could lead to serious dental problems down the road. Read on to learn how to know if you need braces.

You’re Insecure With Your Smile

People may get braces for many reasons. While there are many medical reasons an individual may choose to get braces, you shouldn’t ignore the valid choice that you’re doing it because you want to. If you have crooked teeth, or gaps in between your teeth, you may find yourself insecure with your smile. There is nothing wrong or ugly about your unique smile. However, if you decide that it would boost your confidence to straighten your teeth, that’s a viable reason to get braces. Meet with your dentist, and speak with them about your concerns. They’ll be able to recommend an orthodontist that can help you get the treatment you want. By the end of the treatment, you’ll have a smile you’re confident with.

Bite Issues

Another way you can know if you need braces is if you have bite issues. There are a handful of bite issues that you may deal with. The most common are an underbite or overbite, which mean that your teeth and jaw are aligned incorrectly. However, there are also crossbites, which are a mix of the two, and open bites. An open bite is usually caused by sucking your thumb or a pacifier as a child. This pushes your teeth forward so that they don’t close fully when you bite down. These issues can collectively lead to speech impediments, more cavities, and more wear on your teeth. Luckily, orthodontic treatment can correct all of these issues before they become too serious.

Jaw Pain

The last symptom that can indicate a need for braces is frequent jaw pain. When your jaw is out of alignment, it can lead to headaches, and make it more difficult to yawn, smile, chew, or even speak. This can all make you incredibly uncomfortable and bring unnecessary discomfort. When you get braces and other orthodontic treatments, you can realign your jaw into the correct position. This gets rid of the pain and helps you more easily perform these daily tasks. If you’re experiencing jaw pain or any symptoms associated with a misaligned jaw, speak to your dentist about getting braces. You’ll be able to resolve this issue and enjoy a straight new smile.

Getting braces is becoming more and more common, but it can still be tricky to know whether or not they’re the best choice for you. Braces can help you fix a slew of issues, and keep your dental health at its best for years to come. These are a few of the ways you may be able to tell if you need braces.

Thinking of getting braces? McAllister Orthodontics has some of the highest-rated services, with consistent positive patient experiences. Click here to learn more, and request your first appointment today!

How to Brush Your Teeth With Braces

When you get braces, there are a handful of lifestyle changes you’ll have to make to ensure the process goes smoothly. One of these includes changing the way you brush your teeth. Read on to learn how to brush your teeth with braces.

Brush After Every Meal

When you don’t have braces, most people know that you should be brushing your teeth twice a day. Once in the morning, and once at night before you go to bed. Doing this keeps your teeth clean, and helps you avoid cavities and other dental problems. However, when you have braces, you need to brush your teeth more often. When you have braces, you have extra brackets and wires attached to your teeth, which can attract more bacteria. Think of it like the bacteria has more places to hide. To avoid a greater risk of cavities, you need to brush after every meal, to ensure you get all food particles out of your mouth. Finding a travel toothbrush and toothpaste to take with you throughout your day can help you ensure you do this step.

Flossing

Another important step in any type of dental care is flossing your teeth. Flossing your teeth gets to the areas that your toothbrush may not reach. If food gets trapped between your teeth, flossing helps get these particles out of your mouth before bacteria can break them down. When you combine this with brushing your teeth, you have the best chance of avoiding cavities.

When you have braces, you don’t necessarily need to floss your teeth more often, but the process does shift a bit. Because of the extra machinery in your mouth, it can be more difficult to floss. To help you continue to practice this important step, there are types of floss that make flossing with braces easier. 

General Tips

It’s always important to brush and take care of your teeth. Your dental health is a big indicator of your overall health, and it’s important to take care of it every day. This continues to be true when you have braces. Brushing and flossing help your teeth stay clean, white, and healthy. To properly brush your teeth when you have braces, it’s important to thoroughly brush around your brackets, and underneath your wires. If you make sure to do this, you’ll be more likely to avoid the white marks that braces can leave behind on your teeth. To make sure you’re taking the best care of your health, it’s also important to have the proper equipment. General toothbrushes can keep your teeth clean, but electric toothbrushes have been shown to do a much more thorough job.

Whether or not you have braces, brushing your teeth properly is an important step in taking care of your health. If done properly, it can prevent many serious issues and help you stay healthy. If you do have braces, these are the changes you’ll need to make to your brushing routine.

If you are looking to get braces, McAllister Orthodontics can help you have the best experience possible. Click here to learn more, and request your complimentary consultation today!