A big part of the conversation about braces is driven by parents asking if braces are right for their children. But what about adults? If you’ve been unhappy about the way your teeth look, you may be wondering if braces are right for you. Nowadays, there are plenty of options for people who want to give their pearly whites a beauty boost.
Sometimes, you may not need braces. For stained teeth, professional whitening or veneers can do the job. Minor gaps and chips can also be concealed with veneers or dental bonding. These options can help you achieve the look you want without spending months undergoing orthodontic correction. However, there are instances when getting braces is the best option to resolve your dental issues.
When should someone get braces?
Getting braces is an excellent way to resolve issues beyond small gaps, chips, and stains, such as:
- Overbite
- Crossbite
- Underbite
- Severe gaps
- Crooked teeth
What are these conditions and how severe do they need to be to require orthodontic treatment?
Overbite
Everyone usually has some degree of overbite, which is when the top teeth protrude beyond the bottom teeth. A slight overbite is actually one component of a proper bite. However, when it becomes a deep bite— a severe overbite, does it need correction.
Severe overbites, in which the front teeth greatly protrude beyond the bottom teeth, can benefit from interventions like headgear, which attaches to the braces and helps push the top part of the jaw inward over time. After each orthodontic visit, the headgear band is tightened, applying more pressure to the jaw over time.
Crossbite
When your top and bottom teeth don’t meet when you bite down and it is difficult to chew foods, crossbite becomes a problem. Jaw pain is also a common symptom of people with this improper bite. Braces are highly recommended to correct crossbite, which will most likely also include intervention with headgear and perhaps additional surgery. When the treatment is complete, you may even find that the shape of your face has changed after your bite properly aligns.
Underbite
When your jaw juts out and causes the bottom teeth to come forward beyond the top row of teeth, you have an underbite. Underbite causes chewing discomfort, headaches, earaches, and even TMJ. Treating this condition is essential to boost your sense of wellness and how you feel on a daily basis.
This is typically resolved with a combination of surgery, headgear, and braces. When the procedure is complete, you will find that your face’s profile has changed! Just like with crossbite, the procedure will be lengthy and require dedication to your care regimen, but the results will reflect the consistency that’s been applied to it!
Severe Gaps
Though small gaps can be concealed with faster treatments like dental bonding or veneers, larger gaps should be corrected with braces. When left untreated, food can constantly build up in these areas and increase the risk for gum disease, bad breath, and gingivitis.
Bringing teeth closer together can also correct other misaligned teeth in the process, even if they are just minor imperfections. However, eliminating cavity risks like large gaps is the higher priority in this type of orthodontic intervention.
Crooked teeth
Sometimes you may be the only one who notices some slight imperfections in your tooth alignment. In this case, it’s entirely up to you if you want to leave your teeth as they are or do some minor tweaking to your smile.
- Minor crooked teeth: You can easily get short-term Invisalign or lingual braces to correct mildly crooked teeth.
- Severely crooked teeth: For teeth that are jagged and beyond the help of gentler methods like Invisalign, traditional braces with wires in the front of the teeth are an effective treatment.
Get Braces in Los Angeles
If you would like to find out if braces are the right treatment for you, come in for a free consultation. We can help you understand your orthodontic options, like traditional braces, 6 month braces, or wire-free options like Invisalign. It might seem like a big change – and it is – but it’s a change that’s absolutely worth making.
