Did you know that, in 2020, the size of the dental industry was $15.57 billion? Additionally, this amount is expected to double by the year 2027, reaching a size of $30.59 million. The biggest growth drivers include new dental technology, dental implants, and cosmetic surgery.
If you’re thinking of going to a dentist in the industry, you might be wondering whether you want them to perform a straight teeth procedure.
However, if you aren’t sure whether you want straighter teeth or not, you might be stressed about making this decision.
Fortunately, in this article, we’ll review the benefits of having straight teeth. Finally, you can decide if you want to straighten your teeth and have a smile you’re happy with. Read on to learn more.
1. Healthier Gums
When teeth are spaced too far apart or too crowded, bacteria and plaque accumulate under and along the gum line. Additionally, this makes it more difficult for you to brush or floss. Another issue is that the gums sometimes don’t fit properly around the teeth.
When any of these problems occur, they can lead to periodontal disease (also known as gum disease).
When the disease is minor, it’s gingivitis. With appropriate care, it’s reversible. However, if it becomes more serious, it can turn into periodontitis.
Periodontitis, while manageable, can’t be cured. This disease is a leading tooth loss cause in adults. Also, gum disease has been linked to various health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
This is likely because of the inflammation gum disease causes in the body.
2. Healthier Teeth
As we mentioned in the last point, having teeth that are misaligned or crooked can make it more difficult for you to brush and floss. As a result, as the bacteria and plaque that collect feed on starches and sugars, they’ll eat away at your tooth enamel.
Over time, this can lead to tooth decay. This will lead to an increased risk of the development of cavities.
3. Reduced Wear
When you bite, the pressure usually is distributed evenly across your teeth. This is in a way where you won’t cause pain or wear down your teeth unevenly. However, when you have teeth that aren’t in the right places, some teeth will bear a larger amount of brunt.
As a result, there will be an excess of enamel wear on those teeth.
By straightening your teeth, you can avoid the large amount of enamel wear that would otherwise occur with crooked teeth. This will in turn help you avoid issues such as tooth loss, cracked teeth, and so on.
4. Stronger Supporting Bones
If your teeth are spaced too widely, especially if you’re missing a tooth, this can cause you to experience jawbone loss. If the alveolar bone isn’t being used, it will begin to reabsorb and deteriorate. However, when your teeth are in the right place, this will help to preserve the jawbone.
5. Improved Comfort
Another problem that misaligned teeth can cause is undue stress on the chewing muscles and the temporomandibular joints. This can cause many different types of pain, including earaches, shoulder pain, neck aches, headaches, and TMJ pain.
When you straighten your teeth, you can balance bite forces. As a result, you’ll take the stress off your temporomandibular joints and the connected discs and muscles.
You can keep these areas healthy while also alleviating or preventing discomfort.
6. Clear Speech
While this may not be an obvious benefit that comes from having straight teeth, having teeth that aren’t straight can sometimes cause speech issues. This is because teeth play a role when it comes to producing some speech sounds.
They do this by serving as a contact point for the tongue or by directing airflow.
Additionally, for the production of some sounds, there’s a specific amount of room the tongue needs to move in the mouth freely. Crooked teeth can get in the way of this.
An example of this is when someone has an excessive open bite or overbite. Another example is when their two front teeth have a big gap between them.
When these issues are present, the person might have a lisp when they pronounce “th” or “s” sounds. They might even create a whistling noise.
Whether the solution is to fix an overbite or simply straighten the teeth, having straighter teeth can help make speech clearer.
7. Easier Chewing
Another benefit you can get from having straight teeth is easier chewing. When you have a functional bite and aligned teeth, you’ll be able to bite into your food, and chew it, efficiently and comfortably. This also provides you with an indirect health benefit.
You’ll have more options when it comes to the foods you can eat, and you’ll also digest them better. As a result, you’ll be healthier when it comes to your nutrition.
Interested in Getting Straight Teeth?
Now that you’ve learned about the benefits of straight teeth, you might be interested in having yours straightened. Maybe you’re interested in other procedures, too, such as fixing an overbite or having a procedure done that gives you straight, white teeth.
Whichever procedure you want to get, you should get it at Webster Family Dental. We’re dental industry experts in the Webster/Kirkwood St. Louis area.
Our services include cosmetic, restorative, preventative, and emergency dentistry. To learn more about the dental procedures we do, contact us now.