Think your teeth or bite don’t need to be treated with orthodontics in Glenpool? Want to avoid the time spent wearing traditional braces or clear aligners? Although a mouth full of metal or removable trays may not seem necessary for slightly crooked teeth or protruding overbite, the reality is many serious problems can develop, resulting in additional time and money spent attempting to fix your smile. Before you officially decide to forgo treatment, read on to find out what can happen if you choose to not wear braces.
The Potential Downsides to Forgoing Orthodontics
When recommended for orthodontic treatment, it is not because your dentist wants to see you upset or embarrassed for the next year or so. Instead, they want you to enjoy a healthier, more beautiful smile that can only be achieved with the help of braces. But what if you refuse treatment? Can anything bad happen? Actually, yes, problems can occur should you forgo orthodontics. There are risks of not getting braces in Glenpool, such as:
- Tooth Decay/Cavities: If you have overcrowding and teeth are not properly spaced apart, you cannot adequately brush or floss in-between your teeth. As a result, bacteria and plaque can become trapped and spread beneath the enamel, causing cavities to form.
- Lack of Confidence: If crooked, gapped, overcrowded teeth or a misaligned bite is your reality, choosing to opt-out of orthodontic treatment can leave you feeling embarrassed and living with low self-esteem. Because your smile is the first thing people notice about you, you’ll likely find yourself spending less time with friends and family because of your unhappy aesthetic.
- Chronic Jaw Pain: When you have a misaligned bite (i.e., overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite), additional pressure can be placed on your facial muscles and joints, causing immense jaw pain, headaches, and a stiff neck and shoulders.
- Bruxism (Teeth Grinding): Poorly aligned bites that do not work harmoniously can cause you to grind your teeth or clench them while asleep. Over time, your tooth enamel will wear down, causing an increased risk for tooth sensitivity and gum recession, and you can develop chronic jaw pain that can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
The Benefits of Braces
Wearing braces for 2-3 years (or less with Invisalign) may not sound like an ideal solution, but the time spent devoted to treatment can lend itself to a lifetime enjoying a happier, healthier, more aesthetically pleasing smile. You simply cannot put a price tag on self-esteem, so when your teeth and bite are more perfectly aligned, you’ll notice a dramatic change in the way you feel about yourself and how you interact with others.
Not only will you embrace a better quality of life, but you’ll enjoy being able to eat and speak with greater ease once your teeth are in proper alignment.
Life with braces doesn’t have to be a sad or upsetting time in your life. Instead of focusing on the metal in your mouth or aligners that must be removed each time you visit, remember the results you’ll achieve that will last a lifetime.
About the Author
Dr. Dalia Georgy earned her doctorate at the University of Oklahoma. In addition to being a general dentist, she has completed more than 200 continuing education credits and received specialty training in braces. She and her husband, Dr. Mohanna, oversee Glenpool Braces and want to see their patients achieve confident, healthy smiles. If you think your son or daughter could benefit from orthodontic treatment and would like to see us for a scheduled consultation, visit our website or call (918) 201-1414.