Easier Brushing

Having straight teeth will help you maintain better oral hygiene and reduce your long-term risk of decay and bad breath. Crooked teeth are harder to clean, allowing plaque to build up in areas that trap food residue, causing bacteria to multiply in the areas that are neglected, heightening the risk of developing cavities and bad breath.  Nobody wants to spend any more time in the dentist’s chair than they need to.

Oral Health

People with straight teeth are less prone to gum disease, which happens when plaque deposits infect the gums, causing it to become swollen, red and bleed easily. Over time if left untreated, it can impact the support of teeth and eventually cause them to loosen prematurely. Studies have shown that when teeth are properly aligned, gums fit tighter around the teeth, resulting in better gum health.

Tooth Function

Teeth and jaws that are misaligned can cause disproportionate pressure on some teeth. This can cause abnormal wear, gum recession, surrounding tissue and bone damage and sometimes, facial pain and headaches.

Our teeth also play a vital role in speech. The simple formation of sounds and the enunciation of words can be a challenge for those with gapped or crooked teeth.

Social Benefits

The predominant reason for straightening teeth is to feel good about your smile.  The most wonderful experience for us as an orthodontic practice is to see the transformation in patients who came to us lacking in confidence to smile and laugh and in some cases even have their photo taken.

Whilst having straight teeth won’t guarantee you your dream job or your true love – a great smile is a boost to your self-confidence, which improves your outlook on life, allowing you to take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that come your way.

If you are starting your orthodontic journey or have a child you know may need treatment, it is worthwhile discussing the cover and claim process with your health insurance fund in advance to allow you to maximize your rebates over the life of your treatment.

Here at MOG we do our best to make the cost of treatment as affordable as possible.  You can take advantage of our interest free payment plans – there are no messy third party contracts to establish, simply an agreement between you and MOG to spread the cost of your treatment over the estimated treatment time – making incremental payments is much more affordable than one lump sum.

Tax Rebate.

You may be able to claim a tax rebate for fees paid for orthodontic treatment.  We suggest you obtain advice from your accountant or tax adviser regarding your eligibility to claim a tax rebate.  We are unable to provide you with advice on the rebate as it varies according to your income and other, net out of pocket medical, dental and optical expenses that you may have in a financial year.

Thumb sucking however, is not reflexive, and is believed to be a self-soothing practice.  There are usually no ill effects from thumb sucking in early childhood, and most children naturally give up the habit somewhere between 2-4 years of age.  However, if thumb sucking continues past the age of around 7 when adult teeth are coming through there can be misalignment of front teeth, or possibly exacerbation of underlying jaw problems.

It is important to be careful when breaking a habit such as thumb sucking.  Children often use this as an emotional crutch and sensitivity to the psychology behind the habit formation is necessary.  Punishment and nagging is not the best approach.  Here at MOG we have many happy children who have given up the thumb sucking habit voluntarily, it just takes some patience, persistence and encouragement.

Better Health Channel Victoria offers the following advice on their dental care page:*

• Reward your child and offer encouragement – for example, with a hug or praise to reinforce their decision to stop the habit.
• Limit nagging – if children feel they are being nagged they will become defensive.
• Mark their progress on a calendar – for example, place a star or a tick for each period (such as a day or week) that the child does not suck their thumb or finger. Provide a special outing or a toy if the child gets through the period successfully.
• Encourage bonding – for example, with a special toy.
• Reminders – give your child a mitten to wear as a reminder not to suck, or place unpleasant tasting nail paint (available from chemists) on the fingers or thumb. Placing a bandaid over the thumb at bedtime is another reminder.
• Offer distractions – while your child is watching TV, have toys available for children to play with. Sit with the child during this time and give a cuddle to help them not to suck. In the car, have toys available to keep them occupied.

*source: Better Health Channel

Image credit: xmarchant / 123RF Stock Photo

Lip rings rub against the teeth and scratch the surface, over time they may even wear a groove in them. For patients with braces, there is a chance that oral piercing jewellery can catch on the brackets causing discomfort or damage to the orthodontic appliances, which could lengthen treatment time.

Other problems associated with oral piercing jewellery include increased risk of infection from touching them or getting food caught around the piercing site, tooth sensitivity, gum damage and gum recession.

Researchers from Ohio State University College of Dentistry and the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in USA conducted research on 52 people with pierced tongues and discovered that among those whose tongue piercings had been in place for four years or longer, 35 % of them had experienced gum recession.

Among people in the study who had worn long-stemmed barbells for two years or longer, half of them were diagnosed with receding gums.

If you have oral piercings and you are considering orthodontic treatment, it is advisable to take the opportunity to remove the jewellery and allow the piercing site to heal over.  If you are investing time and money in improving your smile, it is equally important to invest in the health of your teeth and gums.

Image credit: afhunta / 123RF Stock Photo

So, what ever possessed me to go ahead and get braces – where I am a sure thing to have people playing around in my mouth every couple of months, doing things that I don’t get to see or control!  Well I promise you that no matter how dental phobic you are, the experience of having braces is one of the nicest you could have.

It only takes one wire change and you will realize.