Orthodontics and Braces in Bradford, Newmarket, Aurora, Innisfil, and Barrie

Do your teeth have gaps, are they crooked, does your bite not line up? All of these questions relate to orthodontics and braces. Orthodontics exists to produce straight teeth. Teeth braces and Invisalign are a great way for all ages to achieve this goal. Many people have the misconception that only kids and teenagers can get braces but the truth is you can straighten your smile at any age. In fact, I have even seen cases of 80-year-old women straightening their teeth. Most people do not realize this, but Orthodontics can dramatically improve your facial profile and has many other health benefits as well.

A Broad Smile Means Better Breathing

Did you know that a broad, wide smile like Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie not only looks attractive but is also a sign of health? Individuals with a small, narrow jaw and cheekbones, usually have darkening under their eyes and crooked teeth. Darkening under the eyes is usually from lack of sleep, which is often accompanied by inadequate nasal breathing.

A narrow jaw will always have a narrow sinus, as the upper jaw makes up the floor of the sinus. This means if you have a narrow jaw, you likely also have decreased breathing efficiency through your nose. Combine this with allergies or the common cold, and you have a problem. You’ll have a hard time breathing!

People with narrow jaws almost always breathe through their mouths. Someone with a broad smile and wide upper jaw also has broad cheekbones and shows a lot more teeth when they smile, which is very attractive. They also have a good airway breathing through their nose and tend to sleep better as a result (it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep when mouth- breathing).

Orthodontics Improve Overall Health

Besides decreased breathing capacity, someone with a narrow jaw is also more prone to other health problems, such as gum and bone disease; Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and related migraine, headaches and postural problems; and snoring and sleep apnea (due to decreased breathing capacity).

Gum and bone disease, also known as Periodontitis, and gum disease known as Gingivitis is more prevalent in people with narrow jaws. The simple reason is that narrow jaws have crooked teeth, and crooked teeth accumulate more plaque and nasty bacteria, causing your gums to bleed and your bone to disappear.

Straight teeth are easier to clean and, thus, less likely to develop such problems. As a side note: With lots of research linking gum and bone disease to heart attacks, diabetes, strokes, Alzheimer’s, pre-term low weight babies, high blood pressure, and other health issues, please don’t shrug off bleeding gums as normal. Bleeding gums are a sign that something is not right, and if you want to live longer and healthier, you should take care of your oral health.

Orthodontics can address jaw problems associated with narrow jaws as well. Have you ever seen a profile of someone and noticed their chin is set too far back? In some people, it looks like a double chin. This is a direct result of a narrow upper jaw trapping the lower jaw back.

Headaches, neck aches, migraines and facial pain are all symptoms that you could have a TMJ disorder. Did you know that narrow jaws make you more prone to jaw-related problems, and often times correcting this jaw relation with orthodontics will not only address a lot of these problems but will also prevent them too?

Children Should Not Be Snoring

Snoring and sleep apnea comprise a vast topic, but, to put it simply, if you cannot breathe, you die. If you do not get enough oxygen when you sleep, you have excessive daytime sleepiness and poor concentration, as well as increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Try holding your breath for a minute and see how you feel. Now imagine this going on throughout the night.

Developing the upper jaw through orthodontics can improve nasal breathing and may decrease or eliminate your risk of this deadly disorder. I want to also clarify this point: KIDS SHOULD NOT BE SNORING. If your child is snoring, he or she needs treatment, whether it be early jaw development or removal of the tonsils and adenoids. If your child is snoring, this is a serious problem and can lead to severe health complications later in life.

Orthodontics at Bradford Family Dentistry

My method in Orthodontics is to always develop the jaws first. If you develop the jaws first, there are many benefits to the patient. You will:

1) be less likely to have your pre-molars removed (less than 1% of the time)
2) have a broader smile, therefore better aesthetics in terms of teeth alignment, and the overall smile and facial structure;
3) have a better nasal airway, which means more oxygen and better health;
4) have alignment of the upper and lower jaws to address any jaw joint concerns to decrease or even eliminate jaw-related headaches and pain;
5) perhaps have fewer wrinkles after treatment, because when the teeth and jaws are in the correct position, it supports the surrounding tissues of the face as well. It’s a lot less invasive or traumatic than cosmetic surgery!

So Orthodontics has come a long way, and with advancements always coming up, it is so much faster and predictable than ever before. To schedule your consultation call us today at 1-877-283-0497.

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