Orthodontics Combines Health and Good Looks
Family Dental Care: Helping everyone.
When I was younger, I used to think that braces were only about looks. I thought that braces were tools used to make your teeth straight and neat-looking. But as I got older, I began to realize that it is far more complicated than that. Braces are also about health. And there are ways that bad teeth can harm you, more than just your image. You want your teeth to fit together neatly. Your teeth are like little gears that fit together neatly. When they do, you are able to chew effectively but you are also able to speak more clearly. People sometimes forget that speech has more to do with the tongue than other parts of the mouth. If the tongue is crowded by misplaced teeth, then you child could develop speech patterns indicative of a speech impediment. But problems can be even more severe. Some people end up needed surgery on their jaws. There can be deeper problems related to the jawbone that needs adjustment. Left untreated, these can produce agonizing migraines and other problems. If you are having migraines, you first guess might not be that it has to do with your jaw. The first person you see would probably not be an orthodontist. And yet these are the far-reaching problems that a lack of orthodontic care can produce. On the other hand, who are we kidding? It is also very much about aesthetics, as well. We want straight-looking teeth that are neat and beautiful. We could say that straight teeth are the epiphenomenon of dental care. As a lack of bad breath from using mouthwash is just the indirect consequence of killing all of the germs, we could also say that straight beautiful teeth is just the after-effect of straight, properly functioning teeth. But I think that this would be somewhat disingenuous. Good-looking teeth is a lot of people’s primary goal, which is fine. As long as they have proper dental health, what does it matter? And there are ways that you can have a great smile while you still have your braces on. Invisalign braces are all the rage right now. They are transparent braces.
No one will even know that you are wearing them. Invisalign braces are great for adults that do not feel comfortable donning the trappings of a junior high student. They will feel great, look great, and you will be well on your way to a beautiful smile and good dental health. Orthodontics combines both of those in one swift motion. Because of this, you do not have to choose. It is not always the case, but braces are an instance in which the thing that makes you look good is also the best thing for you. This point can be overstated in other fields, like exercise. You can certainly overdo it with exercise. But with braces, a beautiful smile is an indication of a healthy smile. So go take your kid down to the orthodontist’s office and get an inspection today.
Like Invisalign, Orthodontics Technology Is Changing
Family Dental Care: Helping everyone.
What must it have been like to be an orthodontics patient in the late 19th century or the early 20th century? Sometimes, I have the tendency to idealize the past as rustic and idyllic, but I am less inclined to do so when I think about early American orthodontists. We have certainly come a long way in terms of our orthodontics technology. Not only does this make the process more comfortable and less prone to injury or medical mistakes, I have to imagine that it makes the entire process more effective. So there is no reason not to harness the advantages of our modern era. While there may be some virtue in adhering to tried and true methods, there is also virtue in not fearing technology and novelty.
Consider invisalign braces.
These are transparent braces. They are hard to see, and they save teens and adults alike from the embarrassment of those big, gaudy metal braces crammed into our mouth. Furthermore, you do not have to adhere to any dietary restrictions. That means that you can eat popcorn, caramel, gum, and all of the other things that are normally prohibited by the normal braces of brackets and wires. The best part of invisalign braces, in my humble opinion, is that they do not scratch your mouth. These braces look like small mouth guards. They set right over the faces of your teeth. There are no pointy edges of brackets. When I had my braces, the worst part was the scratches to the inside of my cheeks or my gums. These scratches would sometimes turn into canker sores. Then the brackets would continue to exacerbate the sore. It was as bad as it sounded. Invisalign braces completely sidestep this feature of orthodontics.
So these braces do not hurt your mouth, let you eat whatever you want, and they are invisible so that you do not have to declare to the world at large that you are wearing braces. It must be too good to be true. They must not work properly. They must take considerably longer than brackets and wire braces, right? Nope. They work just as well. It is not a trick. It is just a technological advancement. I notice in older generations the tendency to think that a certain level of discomfort or effort is necessary for something to be good. This can preclude them from taking advantage of the tools at their disposal. Orthodontics is just the same. We have just come a long way. Can you imagine if we transported an orthodontist from the year 1890 to the present day and showed him our brackets and wire braces? He might also think that it were just a trick or a charlatan sham. We would also think that he is naïve. It is exciting to think of the possibilities for medical technology in the future. And this extends beyond just orthodontics. Orthodontics, however, will also be on the receiving end of these innovations. Invisalign is just one example of how technology innovation has made dental health easier to achieve.