Why Are So Many People Fixing Their Crooked Teeth?

It’s important not to ignore crooked teeth. Crooked teeth don’t just effect our physical appearance. They also can lead to a number of chewing and jaw-related issues. Having a beautiful set of straight teeth can improve confidence, appearance, and ensure a healthy mouth and jaw. Fortunately, fixing crooked teeth is now easier than ever thanks to a number of affordable and convenient advances in the braces industry.

Why It’s Important to Fix Crooked Teeth

First and most obvious, if we look great, we tend to feel great. Having nice teeth can improve self-confidence. Since modern braces are an easy solution to improve our teeth, this is a simple solution to a boost in confidence.

Unfortunately, the impact of misaligned teeth can also lead to a number of unwanted consequences. Whether you’re looking to impress on a job interview, date, or other social gathering, having a beautiful smile can go a long way. No one wants to be immediately judged poorly for something as silly as having crooked teeth. First impressions often mean a lot, and taking an extra step to look great can be very helpful.

Other Consequences of Crooked Teeth

It’s not all about physical appearance. In many cases, it’s harder to clean between crooked teeth. Failure to keep the teeth properly cleaned may lead to decay and gum disease, which can ultimately cause problems with the teeth and surrounding bones.

Crooked teeth can lead to issues with chewing, which in turn can result in digestive issues. Further, it’s easier for crooked teeth to impose excessive wear on the gums and jaw muscles. This can lead to jaw strain, cracked teeth, and joint disorders. In some cases, having crooked teeth can even interfere with your speech.¹

Is it Time to Consider Braces?

While having poorly aligned teeth can result in a lot of issues, there is an easy solution. Braces. There are a huge range of options for braces depending on your needs, personal preferences, and budget. This includes traditional braces, ceramic braces, lingual braces, and clear aligners (e.g. Invisalign).

Traditional Braces

Traditional braces are what most of us envision when we think of braces. These are metal braces, typically silver in colour, which are fixed in place and generally worn for an average of 2 years. Costs vary greatly and can range from around $1,800 to $5,500. These are very effective at straightening teeth and are well-suited for complex cases. The fact that they’re not removable also makes them more likely to succeed, as they don’t require any self-discipline to make sure you’re always wearing them.²

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces work very similarly to traditional braces, but they are made with a semi-transparent material making them less noticeable. It’s even possible to get them with tooth coloured wires, so they’re even harder to see. This is a great option for those who are concerned with how the traditional metallic braces will make them look. Many also find ceramic braces to be more comfortable than traditional metal ones. However, ceramic braces are often more expensive and can sometimes take longer to properly straighten the teeth.³

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners such as Invisalign are another great alternative to straightening teeth. These are clear plastic trays that are worn over your teeth in order to gently straighten and align them into place. This solution is meant to be invisible, so no one will be able to tell that you’re wearing anything. However, this option does require more self-discipline than others to work effectively. That’s because clear aligners/Invisalign are fully removable, so you’ll need to make sure not to take them off at times when they should be left on. In many cases, this is can be a more expensive option than traditional braces, costing around $5,000 on average. Clear aligners are also not always suitable for those with more serious teeth issues.²

Lingual Braces

Similar to clear aligners, lingual braces are also invisible. That’s because lingual braces attach entirely to the back of your teeth rather than the front. They look similar to traditional metal braces and are similarly fixed in place. However, people won’t be able to see them when you smile. It’s important to note that these braces don’t work for everyone, it depends on your specific teeth issues. They can also be more expensive than traditional braces.⁴

It’s Time to Get Started

Thanks to modern technology there are braces options available to suit people of all needs and tastes. Finding the best option for your own situation can be easily accomplished with a little bit of research. Performing an online search is a great first step to compare options, pricing, and types of braces available near you. Before you know it, you’ll be looking and feeling great with a wonderful new smile.