Brace Yourselves: 8 Benefits Of Getting Braces As An Adult

Orthodontic treatment is a specialized branch of dentistry that focuses on addressing various oral health issues, including misaligned, crooked, overlapped, or gapped teeth. This treatment includes various options such as braces, Invisalign, aligners, and retainers. Braces are one of the most common forms of treatment, and in the USA, almost 4 million people wear braces, and around 25% of these are adults.

While traditionally, braces have been popular amongst teens and kids, there is a growing trend amongst adults to get braces for a more aesthetically pleasing smile. Other than aesthetics, braces also provide lifetime protection from dental diseases while boosting self-esteem.

It is important, therefore, to dispel any doubts regarding braces for adults and to create awareness by highlighting the many benefits associated with this orthodontic treatment.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some benefits of getting braces as an adult.

1.  Improved Oral Health

Misaligned and crooked teeth can cause multiple dental health issues, such as dental decay and plaque build-up. Overlapped teeth make it a challenge to floss and clean out the morsels of food between them, resulting in the accumulation of plaque and bacteria. Braces can help in treating this issue, ultimately improving your overall oral health.

Braces work by applying constant pressure on the teeth and jaws to change their position. As a result, this will allow efficient brushing and flossing, which is crucial in preventing dental decay and gum disease.

2.  It’s Affordable

Modern braces have been around since the 19th century and have undergone significant evolution and progress, offering a diverse range of options. With these changes, the cost of braces also varies greatly, allowing you to have options even when on a tighter budget. Getting braces is a wise investment in your oral health rather than spending on temporary solutions. As we age, the risk of deteriorating oral health increases. Therefore, it is important to understand that there are different kinds of braces available, such as metal braces, ceramic braces, and lingual braces, and all of these fall under a broad economic range.

Each of these braces comes with its own set of pros and cons that need to be carefully considered. Your orthodontist will let you know which treatment plan is best for you. Additionally, braces, in general, do not require a lot of maintenance, and installment options are often available since the treatment is usually administered in phases.

3.  Better Jawline and Jawbone

The jawbone is an integral component of the structure of your mouth, as it not only houses but also provides support to your teeth. As braces exert pressure on your teeth, the position of the bone and teeth changes. For instance, they correct overbite and underbite, consequently enhancing the jawline and reducing any chance of tooth damage.

Moreover, braces can also help in healing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). This occurs when your lower jaw is out of place, creating tension in the area and subsequently causing you pain. Aligning the teeth through braces alleviates the effects of TMD, resulting in a healthy jawbone.

4.  Braces Can Improve Speech

Crooked teeth and malocclusions can cause significant speech impairments. For example, overbites include the front teeth protruding over the bottom front teeth, causing speech impediments such as lisps. Other speech impediments may include difficulty in pronunciation, slurring, and whistling.

Wearing braces can help you achieve fluent speech as they work to align your teeth and close gaps. Through this orthodontic treatment, various bite issues are also corrected, making it possible for you to have coherent and clear speech.

5.  Better Digestion

Your teeth play a crucial role in the process of digestion. They help break down the food into small pieces before it enters the digestive tract, making it easier for the stomach to digest. If there are a lot of gaps between the teeth, the breakdown can become a challenging task, leading to larger food particles being passed down. Apart from this, with age, digestion issues can increase due to several different factors.

Braces can reduce the gaps, enabling you to chew properly. Consequently, the digestion process becomes much smoother, reducing the occurrence of indigestion issues such as bloating, gas, and an upset stomach.

6.  Improved Breath

Bacteria caused by plaque and leftover food particles can cause bad breath. With crooked and misaligned teeth, maintaining proper oral hygiene can be difficult, and so the bacteria might stay on your teeth, leading to persistent bad breath.

Nevertheless, using braces will help you in tackling this issue, as straightening misaligned teeth will eliminate spaces where food particles accumulate. As a result, the bacteria will not have any place to thrive, giving rise to a fresher breath.

7.  Reduced Dental Injury

Tooth injury can occur due to a number of factors, including the pressure exerted during chewing, and while this might seem inconsequential, it’s essential to understand that, over time, it can damage your teeth. Additionally, the type of food being chewed, for example, sticky substances, can exacerbate this issue.

Braces will ensure proper teeth alignment, which will correct any issues, such as your teeth protruding or being out of place. Therefore, you are less likely to experience any serious tooth injury.

8.  Improved Self Confidence

The appearance of your smile plays a very significant role in your self-perception and image. A smile characterized by chipped or crooked teeth, misalignment, and bad bites can distort your self-image and diminish your self-confidence. This can further affect your mental health and strain your relationships with friends, family, and colleagues.

Opting for braces provides a path to a healthier and more appealing smile with straightened teeth. It also addresses any issues arising from a lack of cleanliness, resulting in a pleasing smile, which will further improve your self-confidence drastically.

Conclusion

Braces are widely popular amongst both children and adults when it comes to choosing orthodontic treatments. However, adults might still be somewhat skeptical about braces due to various reasons; hence, it is important to understand how braces can be highly beneficial for adults. They improve your overall oral health, preventing any dental issues. Secondly, they are very affordable and are a worthy investment. They improve the function of your teeth and, by extension, aid in processes such as digestion and in treating speech impairments. Lastly, they reduce the chance of tooth trauma by treating any malocclusions and boost your self-confidence with a better smile. So, if you’re in your 30s and think it’s too late for a healthier smile, think again!