Long Term Health Benefits Of Braces Beyond Straight Teeth

Dental braces fix the problems with the alignment of upper and lower jaws and teeth spacing. Braces straighten your teeth and can enhance your appearance, but there’s a lot more to it. It could be the best thing that happened to you and can be a valuable investment as it results in a lifetime of improved dental health and a stunning smile. 

Straight teeth are great but the long-term benefits of braces ensure a healthier, happier smile for long after the treatment. So, before you start looking for a dental clinic for affordable braces in San Antonio, we would like to enlighten you with the long-term benefits of dental braces that are beyond just a cosmetic fix.

1. Prevents gum disease

One of the most important benefits of dental braces is it helps prevent gum disease. Gum disease is an infection of soft gum tissue that surrounds your teeth. More than half of the population has some form of gum disease. 

When you have misaligned or crooked teeth, it is easy for food particles and plaque to accumulate between the spaces. This allows the growth of bacteria, infecting the gum tissue. Wearing braces straightens the teeth so they can be effectively cleaned which means fewer food remains are trapped in the mouth which decreases the chances of gum disease.

2. Prevents decay

Similar to gum disease, braces could also prevent tooth decay. Uneven teeth make it difficult to clean plaque which eventually allows bacteria to fester. Bacteria eat away the tooth enamel leading to decay.

Braces can prevent decay by aligning teeth which makes it easy to clean and maintain your teeth. Improved oral hygiene means fewer chances of decay.

3. Prevents bone erosion

Just as teeth and gums can be affected, so can be jawbone. Every tooth is rooted in the jawbone. If bacteria manage to penetrate the gums and reach the bone, it could wear out the bone. 

Misalignment places extra pressure on teeth and gums. This creates spaces that allow bacteria to percolate and eventually reach the bone. 

Braces can prevent bone deterioration by ensuring that the jawbone is properly exercised due to even teeth and hence there will be no vulnerabilities for bacteria to hide and percolate.

4. Better digestive health

Misalignment affects a person’s ability to eat and digest food. Having bite issues like underbite, overbite, or crossbite will not allow a person to break down and chew food properly. This results in large chunks of food entering the stomach which can be difficult to digest. Braces resolve this issue by aligning all parts of your teeth and hence you could chew properly which results in improved digestion.

5. Improved comfort

Braces cause ease up your life to a great extent. With misaligned teeth, you are more likely to bit your gums, tongue, or inside of cheeks because your jaws don’t sit well together. It also increases the strain in your jaws which braces could alleviate. 

Since teeth could sit naturally and in a comfortable manner, it reduces the chances of accidentally biting the inner part of your mouth. This results in improved comfort while speaking, eating, and smiling.

Some of the other benefits include:

• Improved self-esteem
• Alleviation of speech impediment
• Reduced risk of injury due to protruding teeth
• Easy to clean and maintain your teeth
• Improved mental health

So, if you are choosing to get dental braces at a clinic for cosmetic dental in San Antonio, we are with you. It addresses some major oral health issues along with straightening your teeth for improved an appearance. It has a dramatic effect on your physical and mental health, yielding the above long-term health benefits.