February 2, 2021

Does it feel like your teeth aren’t perfectly straight? Or perhaps you’ve been having difficulty chewing your food lately? For many patients, common orthodontic problems such as these can result in needing braces to improve oral health and ultimately fix the alignment of your teeth. That’s why its important to spot the signs early in case their are any underlining issues that could have a negative impact later on.

At Ten Dental + Facial, our orthodontic specialists are on hand to work with you in achieving a natural, attractive and straight smile for both adults and children. To help you make the right choice in which orthodontic treatment is best suited to you and your mouth, we’ve put together some useful information on identifying 5 signs you may need braces.

 

Late or early loss of baby teeth

From a relatively early age, your baby teeth naturally fall out through a process called resorption as the permanent teeth erupt  from underneath. But if lost prematurely or too late, a number of orthodontic issues can occur.

This can lead to speech defects, molar and canine disruption, thumb sucking and a lack of designated space for permanent teeth which causes crowding when the mouth tries to accommodate both types of teeth.

 

Crowded & crooked teeth

Crowded or crooked teeth are one of the most obvious signs you may need braces. Orthodontic treatment for children can help correct this early, but even adults can experience crowding at a later date.

This does not simply pose as a cosmetic issue which could affect your confidence, but your oral hygiene too. After all, it’s much harder to remove debris from trapped teeth with regular brushing or flossing, leading to plaque, periodontal disease, bad breath, and tooth decay developing.

 

Overbite & underbite

An overbite is exactly how it sounds, whereby the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth. A malocclusion (an abnormal alignment) of this type, if left untreated, could cause significant health problems including irreplaceable damage or trauma to the front teeth and gum recession.

Underbites are the exact opposite as the upper front teeth are behind the lower front ones instead. Usually the jaw is of a disproportionate size or is protruding outwards, making biting, chewing or speaking uncomfortable. Other factors such as severe facial injuries can cause an underbite too.

 

Jaw pain

Moving on, jaw pain is one sign that should never be overlooked in assessing poor alignment and determining if you need braces. A condition called TMJ disorder is where your body’s temporomandibular joint that connects your jawbone to your skull no longer works properly, causing it to easily slip out of place, grind, click or lock.

At Ten Dental, we are able to help minimise the tendency to clench the jaw and tense the surrounding muscles, providing relief throughout the day.

 

Breathing problems

Finally, jaw misalignment combined with crowded teeth has a tendency to create breathing problems over time, especially for children. If they breathe through their mouth more than their nose due to a narrow jaw, this can alter the shape of their face.

The incorrect position of teeth blocks air passing through and could also affect the tongue’s natural position, so it’s best to see an orthodontist as soon as possible to improve the symptoms of obstructed airways.

 

Visit our Orthodontic professionals

If you’ve spotted any of the signs you need braces from the list above, and would like to discuss or book one of our orthodontic treatments, call today at one of our clinics across London, including Balham, Clapham and Wandsworth.

We offer a wide range of orthodontic treatments and braces to suit every patient’s needs to help you on your journey towards straighter teeth such as: