People don’t take care of their teeth quite like they should. Research shows that one in four adults don’t brush twice a day — including a third of men — and that half of adults don’t visit their dentist every six months like they’re supposed to. No wonder why as many as 178 million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth!
What’s worse is that many people have dental problems and aren’t even aware of them. In fact, some of these problems require the help of an orthodontist. Here are just a few.
Anteroposterior Deviation. An anteroposterior deviation is the discrepancy between a pair of closed jaws. Overbites — where the upper set of teeth are more forward than the lower set of teeth — and underbites — where the lower set of teeth are more forward than the upper set of teeth — are both examples of anteroposterior deviations.
Overcrowding. Overcrowding is an orthodontic problem that occurs when a mouth lacks the sufficient space for an adult set of teeth’s normal growth and development. This is a common problem that can be fixed with braces, or with surgery if the case is serious enough.
Aesthetic Issues. Sometimes, what would be a beautiful, straight smile can be spoiled by one or two teeth that are misaligned. Luckily, this is an easy problem for an orthodontist to fix. They can can work to accurately realign the teeth, or alternatively, reshape and restructure the lips, jaw, or even face to create a more aesthetic smile.
If you have one of these problems, ask your dentist to recommend you to an orthodontist, as most general dentists are more than able to. These medical professionals will be able to offer you the Invisalign treatment or metal braces you need to align your teeth, allowing you to achieve the smile you’ve always deserved.
If you have any questions about how an orthodontist can help you, feel free to share in the comments.
