One of the signs that is hard to miss is when your teeth are crooked and misaligned. This can affect the appearance of your smile greatly and it can make you very self-conscious.
There’s no need to squirm or hold your lips tightly when you have to smile because you’re embarrassed. An orthodontist can help you to get your teeth aligned and looking great overtime.
When you have misaligned or crooked teeth it can be difficult to maintain proper hygiene and this increases the risk that you’re going to get gum disease and even tooth decay. This means you should not play around with something like this. Take steps to get things fixed.
Overbite or Underbite
Another common reason why you may be recommended to an orthodontist is if you have an overbite. This is when the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth in a big way.
If you have an overbite then the opposite is happening. Your lower front teeth extend past your upper front teeth. Needless to say this can cause a lot of pain in your jaw.
You don’t want to have to be holding on to your jaw as you chew. In situations like this children, in particular, may have speech problems as well. The good news is that orthodontic treatment is readily available, to throw this dental issue right out the window.
Open Bite
There are overbites and underbites but they’re also open bites as well. This happens when the upper and lower front teeth don’t touch each other when your mouth is closed.
This creates a noticeable gap that can make your mouth look a little bit awkward. It will affect your ability to chew and speak properly.
Another issue is that it may cause teeth to start wearing down unevenly. Get to an orthodontist by searching online for, orthodontists near me, so that they can devise a treatment plan for you to get this gap closed as quickly as possible.
Difficulty Chewing or Biting
You may find yourself experiencing some form of pain or discomfort when you are chewing or biting, it may be caused by some teeth not being in their right place.
The problem is that if you’re not chewing your food properly this can affect your overall health as well as your digestion. This is the last thing you want.
You need to eat your food and enjoy it without having to worry about whether or not you’re going to have a stomach that is churning it the wrong way.
Speech Problems
You may notice that you may have speech problems when you have issues with your teeth. It means you have a need for an orthodontist.
Lisps are a common offshoot of this problem. It is usually caused by having teeth that are misaligned or having jaw problems.
Lisps can make life a little bit more challenging because it will be difficult for people to understand what you’re saying to them sometimes. It can create a few embarrassing situations to say the least.
By getting to an orthodontist you can identify what the underlying causes are and then reduce the chances that you will have speech problems from misaligned teeth.
Jaw Pain and Clicking
If you have ever been in the uncomfortable position of having to wince in pain and shout, “ouch” while holding onto your jaw then you have probably experienced either a toothache or jaw pain. The latter it’s caused by something known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
This is a serious condition that can lead to dry mouth which in turn will lead to bad breath. Needless to say, this can be embarrassing in social situations. It has also been known to lead to other health problems as well.
An orthodontist can evaluate your teeth and then decide which measure to solve this issue.
Mouth Breathing
Another sign that you may need to visit an orthodontist is when you have mouth breathing. This is especially true for your children.
Eyeball your children very carefully and see if they’re having this issue. Again, this is another issue that can lead to dry mouth and bad breath.
For children, this can be especially embarrassing among their peers and may lead to teasing and social anxiety. Take your child to a dentist and they will recommend an orthodontist for you.
Losing Baby Teeth Early
If your child is losing baby teeth too early then it can lead to poor development of their teeth. If they lose them too late it also becomes a problem as well.
Permanent teeth are going to get a fight to come in and they may turn out to be crooked or misaligned when they do come out. This makes an orthodontist a necessity.
If you notice your child’s facial symmetry is off and there is an uneven jaw or even a shifted midline, it’s likely that there is some orthodontic issue at play. This can affect their looks. You have to jump on this right away and make sure that you get professional help.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, that has been discussed here, talk to your dentist. You will often need a referral in most cases to go to an orthodontist for a visit. Most issues can be fixed and you will have a smile that makes you proud to grin from ear to ear in no time.