Braces, Not Just a Luxury
I recently read a published article which considered orthodontic treatment a luxury that only a few should consider. While most think that putting braces on their kids’ teeth or themselves is purely cosmetic, orthodontics treats much more. The mouth is a very unstable place. The misconception that teeth are held still in bone is far from the reality. Teeth are in a dynamic relationship among themselves and the bone surrounding them. The force of food being crushed between teeth during chewing creates movement which can affect their long term stability. Having spaces between the teeth, whether they were there from birth or created from extractions, only increases the amount of movement that occurs naturally. Similarly, having crowded or overlapping teeth creates areas in which food can get caught and that are hard to clean. Food impaction can cause bone to recede leading to a higher rate of cavities and increases mobility. T...