Crooked teeth can be the bane of any pretty smile.  Whether you have a mouthful of crooked teeth or just a couple that are out of line, it can feel embarrassing to smile or to show off your mouth for fear of exposure these imperfections.  Many people believe that the only way to straighten crooked teeth is with traditional braces, which can take a long time to correct problems and be as embarrassing for adults as they’ve become cool for many kids.  Fortunately, there are other options available that you can consider to straighten crooked teeth.

How will I know if I need to get braces?

If your teeth are out of alignment or there are gaps between some of your teeth, braces may be necessary.  Your dentist will discuss their findings with you as well as the options that you may have in order to straighten your teeth.

Who will put on my braces?

Dentists do not typically place and maintain braces.  Instead, this branch of dental medicine is handled by an orthodontist, who is specially trained in this area.

What are the benefits of getting braces?

Many people experience gaps between two or more teeth in their mouth.  This can be caused by a number of reasons.  One reason is that your teeth may be spread too far apart in your mouth, causing many gaps.  Another reason could be that one or several teeth are slightly crooked, causing them to not match up with surrounding teeth and instead allowing gaps to form.  Fortunately, there are several different methods that you can use to cover up unsightly gaps and perfect your smile.

Traditionally, orthodontic braces have been made from metal, without any other options for additional types of material to be used in correcting the alignment of teeth.  As orthodontia has made leaps and bounds forward, however, other materials have come into common use in place of metal.  Some other types of braces now being used include plastic braces, Invisalign retainer-like braces, and ceramic braces.  Many orthodontia patients still are not aware of non-metal options.  If you are interested in non-metal braces, you should ask your orthodontist about their use.

Many adults believe that braces are only for children or teenagers to correct unsightly teeth that may be twisted, have gaps, or be in any other way poorly aligned.  The truth is that there is a growing trend of adults who are beginning to use braces either for the first time or to reinforce the results of the braces they wore when younger.  There is no shame to getting braces as a result; instead, it can be a very smart decision in order to protect your overall dental health.  In addition, there are many different orthodontic options beyond the typical metal braces more commonly us

Orthodontics is probably the most common and well-known field of dentistry. Most people do not know that orthodontics is a field of dentistry, however, most orthodontists are actually dentists. In addition, most of us at some point will come into contact with an orthodontist, whether we need work done, or our children do. Orthodontists most often deal with patients who have oddities in their smile. This can include, but not be limited to, incorrect jaw bites, crooked teeth, gapped teeth, over bites, under bites, and any other improper growths of the teeth.

Overbites, underbites, crossbites and crooked teeth are more than simply cosmetic problems; they are serious dental conditions that can interfere with the proper functioning of the mouth and jaw. An orthodontist can correct these problems to restore both look and function. An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in the correction of improper bites, a process known as orthodontics. The term comes from the Greek “ortho,” meaning straight, and “odons,” meaning teeth. Thus, an orthodontist is a dentist dedicated to giving patients straight teeth.

Few of us are lucky enough to be born with perfectly straight teeth. Often, when those baby teeth fall out, what replace them are crooked, crowded or unevenly spaced adult teeth. Fortunately, we don’t always have to live with the smile we’re born with. Braces can bring your teeth back in line and provide you with a flawless smile that’ll have you saying, “Cheese!”