Many patients visit our office looking for solutions to straighten their smiles. In our Nixa, MO dental office, we provide Invisalign clear braces as a part of our cosmetic dentistry services. Invisalign is a system of clear, plastic aligners that are worn over your smile and gradually apply pressure to straighten your teeth. Some patients think that crooked or misaligned teeth are only a cosmetic concern. However, straightening your smile comes with many benefits. Here are three good reasons to straighten your smile:
Self-Esteem
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. For some patients, this can be a source of stress because they are not confident with their crooked or misaligned teeth. Straightening your smile can make you feel more confident and perform better socially and professionally. It can lead to you feeling better, speaking up for yourself, and living a more active life. While some patients may avoid straightening their crooked teeth due to a fear of the metallic aesthetics associated with traditional braces, Invisalign helps you avoid this issue. Invisalign allows patients to maintain their natural smile aesthetics while still undergoing mild to moderate orthodontic treatment. In addition to the aesthetic and comfort advantages, Invisalign offers a number of significant clinical benefits including requiring no dietary restrictions or extra steps in your oral hygiene routine.
Functionality
Your dental structures are meant to work together to perform daily tasks like chewing or speaking. When your teeth are not aligned properly, this affects how all of your dental structures perform on a daily basis. Misalignment can be the cause of tension between the teeth, jaws, and muscles. This often leads to headaches, teeth grinding, TMJ related issues and worn or broken teeth. To better improve the functionality of your smile, consider seeking out straightening solutions like Invisalign. As your teeth shift into a straighter position, you may notice improvements in your speaking and chewing patterns. Invisalign can be used to treat a variety of cosmetic and dental health concerns, including crooked teeth, under bites, and over bites. All of these dental concerns have a direct impact on the functionality of your smile and should be attended to sooner rather than later to help prevent the development of TMJ symptoms.
Prevention
With crooked teeth, bacteria and food residue have more places to hide within your smile. They also make it very difficult for you to keep your smile clean as they can be difficult to effectively brush and floss around. This is why crooked teeth can contribute to serious health problems including tooth decay and gum disease. By straightening your smile, you are investing in the longterm wellbeing of your dental health. Patients with straighter smiles are less likely to be impacted by excessive tooth decay or gum disease. If you are interested in pursuing a straighter smile, the first step is a consultation with Dr. McLauchlin in his Nixa dental office. Once he’s determined Invisalign is right for you, Dr. McClauchlin will create a customized treatment plan tailored specifically to your needs. Schedule an appointment today, and we look forward to seeing you soon.