Dentistry has come a long way, and one of the most popular procedures is a teeth realignment to get that picture-perfect smile. Now, perfect teeth alignment is not very common. Even though your teeth may appear straight from the front, they may not be perfectly aligned. Over 4 million individuals in the United States wear braces. Surprising, isn’t it?
If you want to know why perfect teeth alignment is necessary, its health benefits, and the various teeth straightening options available to get your best smile, keep reading to learn more.
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What is Perfect Teeth Alignment?
Everyone wishes for perfectly aligned teeth, but how exactly are teeth expected to be lined up? We will give you a brief idea of perfect teeth alignment. Perfectly aligned teeth can only be ascertained by looking at them from 3 different views.
- Front View: When patients look in the mirror, they first notice the front view. Your upper front teeth should be about 2 mm in front of your lower front teeth (towards your lip). The upper and lower front teeth should make light contact.
- Top or Bottom View: From this viewpoint, all teeth should be aligned in a flowing curve resembling the famous St. Louis Arch. However, there should be no overlapping or extra space between them, and they all should be touching each other. The back teeth should be upright, not nudging toward the cheek or tongue. The upper and lower jawline should be symmetrical.
- Side View: The side view is the most difficult for people to see. When you close your mouth, the upper back teeth should position themselves on the outside of the lower back teeth.
Now that you know what perfectly aligned teeth look like, let’s explore some common causes behind misaligned teeth below.
Causes of Misaligned Teeth
A variety of factors can contribute to improperly spaced or misaligned teeth. We’ve listed the most common ones for you below:
- Genetics
- Sub-optimal dental hygiene
- Early tooth loss in newborn babies leads to overcrowding
- Thumb-sucking
- Malnutrition
- Traumatic facial injuries
- Bruxism and grinding of the teeth
Benefits of Proper or Perfect Teeth Alignment
Straight teeth are not only attractive, but they also improve your overall health and save you money, stress, and discomfort. Having perfect alignment of your teeth gives you the confidence to smile. That in itself is the biggest blessing. Apart from that, proper teeth alignment comes with several additional benefits.
- Better Digestion: Straight teeth are associated with improved digestion. Straight teeth help better chewing and masticating food and streamline the entire digestion process. On the other hand, poor or improper chewing due to misaligned teeth may upset your stomach and cause problems like indigestion.
- Good Oral Hygiene: When your teeth are properly aligned, it is easy to clean them, allowing you to maintain better dental hygiene. Crooked teeth make it difficult for the bristles to remove the food particles that get stuck during chewing and can lead to cavities and tooth decay.
- Enhanced and Clearer Speech: We know teeth play an important role in speech production. Crowded, gapped, and protruded teeth can negatively affect your speech production.
By investing in clear teeth aligners, you can get the smile you have always dreamt of. Contact the team at Anoka Dental to learn more.
- Increased Self-Esteem: People with crooked teeth are much less likely to smile. Therefore, They are often uneasy about their teeth. Those who have naturally straight teeth generally enjoy smiling for the camera. An imperfect smile can prevent people from living the life they truly deserve and even lead to low self-esteem or depression.
- Lower Pain in the Head and Neck: There is no undue strain on your joints, jaw bone, or gums when you have perfect teeth. Crooked teeth, on the contrary, can contribute to jaw misalignment. As a result, you may experience chronic pain in your neck, face, or even headaches.
Additional Issues Caused by Misaligned Teeth
Misaligned teeth can lead to several dental problems, such as:
- Tooth decay
- Gum problems
- Periodontitis
- Indigestion
- Ruins overall facial appearance.
- Difficulty chewing food.
- Improper chewing pressure can result in a broken tooth.
Tooth Straightening Options For Perfect Teeth Alignment
Now, we are well aware of the downsides of improper teeth alignment. You must be wondering how we can fix this. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to correct it.
- Braces: Dental braces (also known as braces, orthodontic cases) are orthodontic metal devices used to align and straighten teeth. You will most likely be familiar with the typical metal wires surrounding teeth. You must have noticed some school-going kids smiling with braces.
This option is still prevalent because it works but makes brushing and maintaining good oral hygiene difficult. And also, you need to visit your dentist every 6 weeks to get your braces realigned or replaced with a new set.
- Clear Teeth Aligners: Is the thought of braces causing you to postpone treatment? Other methods of improving your smile are too expensive? No worries. You can now get your teeth in place with some help from the alignment experts at Anoka Dental.
What Anoka offers are Reveal® teeth Aligners. These are pretty much invisible, comfortable, and removable. What makes them even better is that they aren’t prone to staining since they’re super easy to clean.
Clear aligners use a series of dental trays, which help bring your teeth into position without unnecessary aggravation or attachments.
- Traditional Retainers: A “retainer” is a wire-based dental device worn overnight to keep your teeth positioned after removing braces. Your dentist may recommend a fixed retainer instead of a complete set of braces if your teeth are only slightly crooked or crowded.
A retainer may be appropriate only if you require minor dental adjustments.
Can’t Smile because your Teeth are Misaligned? Channel the Expertise of our Dentists at Anoka Dental to Get Your Dream Smile Today!
Smiling should be cherished because you make life more beautiful when you smile. If you feel embarrassed to smile due to your misaligned or overcrowded teeth, book a consultation at Anoka Dental to get perfect teeth alignment today!
However, If you’re anxious about your teeth and looking for a complete smile makeover, Anoka Dental is the best place. We are experts in cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, and dental implants.
Call us at (763) 421-4002 or schedule an appointment at Anoka Dental today.