What runs through your mind whenever you hear about braces? For most of us, all we see is a metallic structure, running from one tooth to another and connected by wires. Well, this isn’t far from the truth. It is however not the only thing that braces are all about. Braces are important tools in dental health. They are used to correct dental defects and enhance oral health. There are different types of braces, and you should visit a certified orthodontist for fitting and further treatment. Braces are a journey to achieving better oral health. They are not just a one-day thing, and voila, you have a perfectly aligned dentition. That’s not how it works. However, some people, may not be aware of the benefits that braces have and the improvements they offer to your life. Here are some of the benefits of braces.

Braces help to prevent cavities and tooth decay

Braces are used to correct misalignment of teeth and other similar malocclusion-related defects. These include uneven bite and mispositioning of teeth. Such defect makes it difficult or virtually impossible to brush your teeth or even floss them well. This leads to the build-up of plaque on the surface of teeth or in-between teeth. Plaque harbours bacteria, which eat into the tooth’s surface and cause small holes in the enamel of the teeth. These holes are called cavities. If left unchecked, cavities grow deeper into the tooth, forming tooth decay. Cavities and tooth decay harm your teeth. They make biting and chewing difficult. They also cause other challenges and poor health. Getting braces helps to realign your teeth and arrange them into their correct position. This makes brushing and flossing easier. It eventually prevents cavities and tooth decay and saves your teeth.

Braces help prevent gum diseases.

Gum diseases are infections of the soft tissues around the teeth. They can be in form of gingivitis or periodontal disease which is more severe. Gum diseases are some of the most common oral diseases, affecting over half the number of patients with oral infections. Gum diseases are caused by malocclusion-related defects such as crooked teeth. Just like cavities, gum diseases are also caused by bacteria build-up in the mouth due to poor oral hygiene. Having crooked teeth makes brushing and flossing difficult. This leads to the formation of plaque, which harbours bacteria. These bacteria affect the soft tissues around the teeth, causing gum diseases. Having braces helps to correct crooked teeth and other malocclusions. These make brushing of teeth easier and eliminate plaque which harbours bacteria.

Braces reduce the risk of teeth damage.

Ideally, the mouth is supposed to have evenly spaced and evenly aligned teeth. This is however not the case for most of us. Most people have an incidence of overlapping teeth, crowded teeth or crooked teeth. These can increase the chances of hurting your teeth. During biting or chewing, pressure is supposed to be evenly applied on all teeth, to ease the activity.  However, people with misplaced teeth might find that the pressure is applied to some teeth more than others. This may lead to their wearing out, breaking or cracking due to immense pressure being applied to them.

Furthermore, people with misplaced teeth may have some teeth protruding out of their positions. This causes an irregular bite. This makes them susceptible to injuries such as cracking and crashing onto other teeth. Moreover, a slight hit on the mouth can easily crack these teeth and damage them. Having braces helps to ensure that all teeth are in their correct position. This helps redistribute pressure among teeth. Furthermore, it prevents an overlapping of teeth or protruding, which can prevent injuries from outside pressure.

Braces prevent bone erosion.

Just like teeth and gums, the jawbone can also be affected by bacteria. When bacteria find their way to the jawbone, they eat away the bone, leading to an erosion of the jawbone. Bacteria can reach the bone through percolations on teeth such as cracks and cavities or tooth decay and root canal. In addition to this, bacteria can also reach the jawbone through the misalignment of teeth. This is because misalignment causes extra pressure on the teeth and gums. This causes spaces to appear in between some teeth. Moreover, misalignment also makes brushing and flossing difficult. Bacteria can settle in between these spaces, and accumulate due to poor brushing. The bacteria can then percolate into the jawbone, eroding it. Braces help correct teeth misalignment and eventually help prevent jawbone erosion.

Braces help improve oral health.

The benefits of braces are not merely esthetic. It has been proven that crooked teeth are more difficult to brush and floss. Also, food tends to be easily lodged between misaligned teeth. These food particles cause an accumulation of germs and bacteria. The bacteria cause a myriad of oral health conditions such as gum diseases and root canal. Moreover, the food particles decay in between the teeth and cause bad breath. This can affect our interaction with other people, especially since we are conscious of our breath. After having your braces treatment, your teeth will be straight and it will be much easier to maintain good oral hygiene. This will be key to maintaining proper oral health.

Braces improve your comfort.

Braces can improve a patient’s overall comfort and well-being. When someone has misaligned teeth, they are more likely to bite their tongue, gums, and the insides of their cheeks because the jaws do not sit together correctly. The teeth are also far more likely to cause general pain because they pull on the gum tissue and cause increased strain in the jaws and mouth. When someone wears braces, the teeth can move into a more natural and comfortable position. This not only reduces the likelihood of accidentally biting the interior of the mouth, but it also reduces strain on the jaws and the temporomandibular joints (TMJ).

Braces help improve appearance.

Crooked teeth can make you very self-conscious about your smile. We do not like the idea of getting weird looks from people whenever we smile and they notice our crooked smiles. In the words of J Cole, our crooked smiles are worth the picture still. But braces can help remove the “crookedness “in your smile. After acquiring braces, insecurities about your smile will be a thing of the past. This orthodontic treatment will gradually shift the position of your teeth until they are perfectly aligned. This will have a huge influence on your appearance and significantly improve your self-esteem, which will translate into your social interactions and relationships.

Braces help improve digestion.

Your teeth play an important role in digestion. Before food can even enter your stomach, it must be partially digested by teeth. It can be difficult to chew food into tiny bits if your teeth are misaligned. As a result, the stomach takes longer to digest food. Poor digestion also leads to abdominal discomfort and may lead to stomach aches at times. Braces help ensure that teeth are well positioned and prevent irregular bites. This ensures that food is well chewed and Brocken down at the mouth. This eventually makes digestion easier and life more comfortable. 

Takeaway

We cannot discredit the importance of braces in ensuring we have optimum oral health. Most of us view braces as an anaesthetic tool. However, they have more functions than enhancing your appearance. Braces are important and help make our lives easier. They build our self-esteem as well making our lives more enjoyable. For the best braces treatments in Nairobi and its environs, look no further than Nairobi Sterling Dental Clinic. We are a world-class dental clinic, locate at the Park Suite Building in Parklands, Nairobi. We have a wide variety of braces for you to choose from. Furthermore, we also have a highly trained and experienced team of orthodontists to walk you through the journey to reclaim your smile. You could also contact us to book an appointment or to make enquiries about braces or other dental services.