For More Than Straight Teeth
At Santa Barbara Children’s Dentistry, our number one goal is to help each one of our patients build and preserve the health of their smile. You might think that regular cleanings, good oral hygiene and a nourishing diet are enough to keep your child’s smiles healthy, but there is actually more we can do to ensure they have optimal oral health. These factors are all vital to the wellness of your child’s smile, but another important piece of the puzzle is having straight teeth.
Most individuals associate braces with achieving a picture-perfect, straight smile. But the benefits of straight teeth reach far beyond the aesthetics of your child’s smile.
Dr. Cox and our team at Santa Barbara Children’s Dentistry want you to know the hidden benefits of braces and the impact straight teeth have on a happy and healthy smile.
1. Cavity Prevention
Did you know that crooked or misaligned teeth create the perfect environment for plaque and bacteria to reside? When teeth are misaligned, their nooks and crannies serve as hiding spots for small particles of food. That hidden food turns into bacteria and plaque, and that bacteria turns into cavities. Even with regular check-ups and cleanings at our office, misaligned teeth are still more prone to cavities and complications.
When misalignments are corrected with braces or clear aligners, the nooks and crannies that food loves to hide in are eliminated, making it easier for your child to effectively brush and floss. So, braces actually help them fight cavities, gum disease, tooth decay and other oral health issues.
2. Enhanced Function
Did you know that your child can have straight teeth and still need braces? Braces and clear aligners move crooked teeth into their proper place, but they also work to properly align your child’s bite and jaw.
Misaligned bites, or malocclusions, refer to how the jaws meet when the mouth is closed and are classified as overbites, underbites, crossbites and open bites. A misaligned bite can cause severe jaw pain, headaches, difficulty chewing, and speech issues. The consistent, gentle pressure of braces helps teeth move into their proper place, addressing your malocclusions and creating harmony and optimal function in your child’s bite.
3. Speech Clarity
Sometimes braces can cause a slight alteration in your child’s speech during treatment, but they definitely make up for that with their benefits of speech improvement after treatment is complete. Most malocclusions or misaligned jaws hinder your child’s speech in one way or another.
As braces move the teeth and bite into proper alignment, you’ll notice improvements in your child’s. Braces can also improve and correct the placement of your child’s tongue, which can correct speech issues associated with a tongue thrust or incorrect tongue resting posture.
4. Complication Prevention
Braces and clear aligners are both a time investment and a monetary investment. This investment extends into the future of your child’s overall oral health, not just in the aesthetics of their smile.
At Santa Barbara Children’s Dentistry, we believe braces and clear aligners are a proactive treatment approach that save patients from pain, discomfort, extensive dental procedures, and other issues associated with misaligned teeth. When you invest in your child’s overall oral health with braces, you are preventing more severe complications from occurring in the coming years.
5. Improved Digestion and Breathing
Although most digestion takes place in the small intestines, digestion actually starts in your mouth. Teeth play a huge role in physically breaking down food into smaller particles before those particles are carried into the stomach and eventually into the small intestines. Misaligned teeth can negatively affect your child’s ability to chew food properly and may contribute to digestive issues.
Misaligned bites, open bites, crossbites, overbites or underbites can also contribute to breathing issues. The position of your child’s jaw can affect the alignment of their airway and can cause a myriad of airway and breathing complications such as nasal breathing, sleep apnea, improper tongue position, and more.
6. Dental Stability
Did you know that misaligned teeth are more vulnerable to wear and damage? Crooked teeth, or misaligned teeth, suffer an uneven distribution of pressure and forces, increasing the chances of tooth wear and fractures.
Misaligned teeth are more susceptible to trauma, especially in children who engage in contact sports. When your child’s teeth are straight, the forces are evenly distributed on all of their teeth, decreasing the likelihood of injury and promoting the long-term health of your smile.
At Santa Bárbara Children’s Dentistry, we are dedicated to building healthy smiles and helping our patients preserve the looks and the health of their smiles. We encourage regular visits for your little ones, and we emphasize the importance that orthodontics play in achieving overall oral health.
If you have any questions about the benefits of straightening your child’s teeth with orthodontic treatment, call Santa Bárbara Children’s Dentistry today at
(805) 421-4469. We are dedicated to helping your little one achieve their best and healthiest smile!
