How Braces for Adults Culver City and Braces for Kids Culver City Improve Long-Term Oral Health Outcomes

People notice your smile first thing, and gaps and other imperfections are highly noticeable. They can make you self-conscious. The same sentiments may occur in your children if any of them have spacing issues or misalignments. The real problem is what these problems pose to your oral health. Fortunately, braces for adults in Culver City, as well as for children, can fix concerns that affect oral health over time.

The Benefits of Braces on Oral Health

Braces create beautiful smiles but also improve oral health in a number of ways.

Improve Bite Alignment

If you or your child has a poor bite, which your dentist might refer to as a malocclusion, it may lead to uneven pressure on your teeth and premature wear of the teeth. Not only will it cause oral health problems, but a bite misalignment could also contribute to headaches, jaw pain, or temporomandibular (TMJ) disorder.

By correcting the bite, the teeth aren’t rubbing against each other in improper positions. The pressure is also dispersed more evenly, and you or your kid will be less likely to grind your teeth when they’re in perfect alignment.

Enhance Oral Hygiene Routine

When you or your kid has crooked or crowded teeth, it creates difficult-to-reach areas where plaque will form. Sometimes, it’s even hard to floss these spots between your teeth. The bacteria trapped there will continuously produce acid waste that’ll cause cavities.

Once braces move teeth into the right places, you or your kid can reach all sides of your teeth better, whether it’s with a toothbrush or dental floss. Cleaning teeth thoroughly reduces the risk of gingivitis and cavities. So you know, once gingivitis forms, it can turn into gum disease whenever the plaque isn’t removed.

Lessen the Risk of Tooth Damage

Misaligned or protruding teeth are easier to break than teeth positioned straight. The tooth may break at any given point or even chip because it’s not as well supported as if it were completely upright and straight.

Improve Confidence and Possibly Oral Care

Whenever your (or your kid’s) teeth are straight without spaces, they or you will have better confidence. At this point, you are both more likely to take better care of your teeth, making sure to brush them at least twice per day and floss at least once. To prevent oral health problems and keep your smile bright, you’ll want to go to the dentist for your regular six-month exams and cleanings.

When your child gets older, they’ll be happy with their smile. They’ll, in return, want to keep their teeth healthy by taking care of them at home and visiting a dentist routinely.

How Braces Work to Shift Teeth Where They Should Be

Now that you know all the benefits of getting braces for adults in Culver City, in addition to getting them for your children, you should also know how they work their magic. It’ll help you to better understand the importance of them and why getting them at any age is beneficial. ​

First and foremost, an orthodontist from our practice will examine your teeth and perform imaging to determine all the areas of concern. Based on the results, our orthodontist will plan a course of action that will gently shift your teeth into the proper position gradually. ​

Once decided, the orthodontist will apply the wires and brackets to the teeth and tighten them accordingly. Every four to eight weeks, our orthodontist will ask you to come to the office or bring in your child to have the braces adjusted. Every time they’re tightened, they shift more. And each tooth shifts on its own to ensure every one is properly aligned at the end of the treatment.

Don’t Have to Sacrifice Oral Healthcare with Braces

While you or your kid wears braces, you can still take care of your teeth and keep cavities and other oral health issues at bay. So if you’ve heard that braces can interfere with your oral health while you’re wearing them, there are steps you can take to prevent it or prevent them in your child. ​

For one, use a soft-bristle brush on the teeth and make sure to clean around the brackets and wire with it. An orthodontic toothbrush could be the most effective option when compared to a standard toothbrush. It has a V-shape, which can more effectively clean around the brackets and wires to ensure food isn’t remaining in between the teeth. ​

Increase brushing. While the general recommendation is for a person to brush their teeth twice a day, with braces, it’s better for a person to brush their teeth at least three times per day, specifically after meals or snacks. This increase in brushing keeps the teeth clean.

If you or your child isn’t already brushing for two minutes per session, start. This makes sure the teeth receive a proper cleaning.

Secondly, flossing is an important part of your daily routine. But you don’t need to increase the frequency — once daily, preferably at night, is adequate. When flossing, slide the floss between the teeth and around the braces and brackets carefully. Avoid breaking the floss in the brackets or wires. If you’re helping your child, stress the importance of this.

Finally, if you’re worried that your or your kid’s teeth aren’t being taken care of enough while the braces are on, our orthodontist recommends using an antibacterial mouthwash once daily to remove bacteria in places where floss or a toothbrush can’t reach. ​

Braces don’t just help teeth look much better while increasing a person’s confidence. They’re also used to improve oral health on a daily basis and in the long run for both children and adults. Even improving your self-esteem with braces for adults in Culver City can be enough to make you want to take better care of your teeth.