Not happy with crooked or gapped teeth? The desire for straight teeth is a common reason why people — adults as well as kids and teens — seek out orthodontic treatment. While aesthetic goals may ignite this desire, straight teeth have both cosmetic and dental health benefits.

At Arya Dental, our team of expert dentists offers a wide range of orthodontic services that help you improve the appearance and function of your smile. Properly aligning your teeth helps you reach both of these goals. Here, we take a look at why alignment matters and why straight teeth are healthy teeth.

Types of misalignments 

When your teeth aren’t aligned properly, it’s called malocclusion, which means “bad bite.” There are many types of bite problems, including:

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Open bite

Anything that prohibits your upper and lower jaws from fitting together nicely — including overcrowding and gapped teeth — is cause for concern.

Complications of malocclusion

Beyond aesthetics, several complications can crop up when your teeth aren’t properly aligned. 

Tooth decay and increased risk of cavities 

If your teeth aren’t lined up properly, it can be difficult to thoroughly clean each tooth as well as the areas between your teeth. If your teeth are so crooked or crowded that even flossing is hard, you might have an increased risk for interproximal cavities — those that form between two teeth.

Greater risk of gum disease

Tooth decay isn’t the only way crooked teeth impact your oral health. The accumulations of plaque that leads to tooth decay can also increase your risk of periodontitis, or gum disease. If you can’t brush and floss adequately, plaque and debris build up along your gum line. Untreated gum disease can lead to tooth loss.

Uneven wear-and-tear on your teeth

Certain bite problems, in particular crossbites, cause excessive wear-and-tear on your teeth. Misalignments can cause excess pressure on some teeth, which can lead to chips and fractures. 

Jaw pain

The hinge-like joint of your jaw is called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Misaligned teeth can put stress on this joint, increasing your risk of TMJ pain. TMJ pain often leads to neck and head pains as well.

Problems chewing 

If bite problems prevent you from chewing your food thoroughly, you can experience indigestion. Additionally, malocclusion, including open bites, can make it hard to chew comfortably. You may find that hard foods, such as raw apples, are incredibly difficult to eat with misaligned teeth.

Correcting misaligned teeth

Properly aligned teeth can help you avoid the unwanted complications of malocclusion, and the good news is that alignment issues can be fixed. Here at Arya Dental, we offer Invisalign which can help correct your alignment.

To learn more about the importance of properly aligned teeth and how we can help you achieve them, contact our Fullerton, California, office to set up your consultation. You can call us at 714-646-9546 or request an appointment through our online booking tool.