Reasons Why You Need Dental Aligners

A bright and cheerful smile can light up a room. However, if you have crooked teeth, you may be uncomfortable while smiling, posing for pictures, etc. In the past decade, orthodontic treatment has transformed, and now, thanks to invisible braces, people can get teeth straightening without worrying about aesthetic ramifications. 

Many people consider braces to be expensive, time-consuming, and inconvenient, but overall, the returns of dental braces far outweigh all these. 

Why get braces treatment?

Some common reasons you may consider getting orthodontic treatment are:

Difficulty in chewing

Poor occlusal relationship, i.e., the relationship between opposite tooth surfaces, can cause severe difficulty in biting and chewing food properly.  This can result in oral pain, gum diseases, jaw pain, etc., thus, clear braces are beneficial in getting rid of these problems by making chewing easier.

Visibly misaligned teeth

People with visibly crooked teeth prefer getting orthodontic treatment to improve their smiles. Patients can have a complete smile makeover with the help of dental braces and clear aligners. Some common dental misalignments are:

• The upper and lower teeth do not touch each other, called an open bite
• The lower teeth lie outside the upper teeth, called a crossbite
• Overcrowding of the arch due to lack of jaw space compared to the number and size of teeth present
• Gaps or spaces between the teeth, e.g., diastema (space between upper incisors)
• Upper incisors abnormally extending over the lower incisors vertically or horizontally 
• Retention of baby teeth
• Lower incisors close outside the upper incisors, etc.

Correction of jaw deformities

Sometimes tooth deformities can result from misaligned or deformities jaws. Jaw deformities can even result in TMJ pain, clicking or popping sounds while moving the jaw, tiredness, and fatigue in the jawline after chewing, etc.

Braces treatment can help correct these deformities with minimal pain and discomfort for the patient. In rare cases, the patient may need orthodontic surgery along with braces for complete jaw correction.

Bad breath and poor oral hygiene

Crooked teeth create twofold problems for dental hygiene - they make it more difficult for the patient to brush and clean the teeth, and increase the chances of food getting stuck between the teeth. Due to this, crooked teeth can result in oral hygiene issues like bad breath (halitosis), dental caries, gum disease, etc. 

Oral habits

Often dental misalignment results in poor oral habits like cheek biting, mouth breathing, thumb sucking, jaw clenching, tongue thrusting, etc. It’s a vicious circle- dental misalignment causes oral habits and vice versa. The only way to effectively treat these oral habits in the long term is through behavioral therapy and orthodontic treatment. 

Vocal abnormalities

Some vocal sounds are formed through the tongue and teeth relationship with each other. In some cases, poor tooth positioning results in speech impediments like lisping, slurred speech, whistling sounds while speaking, stammering, difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, etc. 

Improve the digestion

Digestion begins in the mouth. While the stomach is responsible for a large majority of the digestion process, digestion is impeded if the food is not chewed properly. When the food isn’t chewed properly, the stomach isn’t able to digest it properly. 

When the patient has an open bite, the teeth can’t make contact to chew, while during an open bite, crossbite, or underbite, the molar relationship doesn’t allow for proper chewing motions. Digestive problems result in overall poor health, nutritional deficiencies, etc.

Better mouth comfort

Another common reason people get teeth aligners is mouthfeel and comfort. People with misaligned teeth often bite their lips, cheeks, or tongue accidentally while talking or chewing. This not only causes pain but is also a source of discomfort as well. 

Boost the self-esteem

Many patients with crooked teeth have low self-confidence and self-esteem. They feel uncomfortable while posing for photographs, smiling carefree, etc. For these people, a smile makeover through invisible aligners is a big boost to overall self-esteem. 

Why choose clear aligners over other kinds of orthodontic treatment?

Some very common and obvious benefits of clear braces over metallic braces and other orthodontic treatments are:

• Patients have fewer dietary restrictions with dental aligners as compared to fixed braces. Since aligners can be removed while eating, the patient doesn’t have to worry about staining or damaging them. 
• Clear aligners follow a preset comprehensive treatment plan, so the results of the treatment are very predictable and predetermined. If needed, the dentist can make the necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.
• Invisible braces have a subtle appearance, so the patient doesn’t need to be self-conscious while wearing them. Generally, when people get metal braces, they start feeling even more conscious in public, negatively impacting their self-esteem. Thus, invisible aligners protect the patients’ self-confidence throughout the treatment.
• Each tray is customized to the patient’s dental alignment, so they are very comfortable to wear and do not cause any cuts or bleeding.
• Since they are customized, transparent braces are less bulky, so they don’t irritate the gums or other oral tissues. When the patient starts using a new set of aligner trays, they generally feel discomfort for a couple of days, but after that, the discomfort disappears.
• It is very easy to maintain dental hygiene during clear aligner treatment, as the patient can remove them while eating, brushing teeth, flossing, etc. So, overall transparent braces offer the patient better oral hygiene than metallic or ceramic braces.
• One disadvantage of metallic braces most people are unaware of is that prolonged braces treatment discolors the teeth due to plaque accumulation, which negates the aesthetic effects of the orthodontic treatment. There is less risk of tooth discoloration with transparent teeth braces since the patient can brush easily during teeth aligner treatment.
• With metallic braces, the patient has to visit the orthodontist every 4-6 weeks for adjustments and tightening so the treatment can progress. But with clear aligners, the patient only has to visit the orthodontist if there is a complication or for regular checkups every few months. Thus, aligners offer more convenience with fewer trips to the dentist.
• Another benefit of teeth aligners is that you can still play sports while undergoing aligner treatment. People with metallic braces often have to forgo sports to avoid braces snagging on lips, cheeks, etc. While playing, the players can simply take out the clear braces and wear mouthguards for the duration of the game.
• Artists and actors can perform on stage without any impediments with clear braces, as they can just take transparent braces out while performing.
• With transparent teeth braces, you can avoid embarrassing photographs that may make you cringe if you look back on them after a long time.
• Clear braces are more advantageous as they are easy to clean and maintain, and the patient doesn't have to go through a rigorous routine to clean their braces and teeth.
• You can go out to restaurants to eat and have sex safely if you have clear braces so they won’t interfere with your dating life.
• As an adult, braces can be embarrassing around the office. Therefore, the patient can easily attend work events with dental aligners.

So why wait- get your dental aligners today and begin your journey to a flawless and carefree smile.