In many ways, confidence starts in the mouth.
Many people express a lack of confidence in their smile or the way they talk. Oral problems can cause as much psychological damage as they can physical harm. Luckily, braces provide an excellent way to correct these problems.
But how to know if you need braces? Here are five key signs.
- Misaligned Teeth
One of the most obvious reasons for going to the orthodontist is a visual flaw in your tooth arrangement.
Your teeth may not line up neatly with each other, such as being angled too far forward or backward. You might have a tooth gap, with your teeth not sitting flush against each other. Whatever the case, braces can help turn your teeth into good little soldiers and rein in their chaotic impulses.
- Oral Trauma
When your teeth are out of position, it can damage more than just your confidence.
Misaligned teeth can inflict a lot of harm on the soft tissues of the mouth. They can cause you to bite your tongue or the inside of the cheek.
In turn, that can cause fibromas to emerge. These are accumulations of scar tissue, creating benign lumps. Although harmless, they make it even easier to bite the same spot, creating a feedback loop. Fibromas don’t go away on their own, so it’s better to tackle their causes, ensuring you won’t need surgery to remove them later on.
- Speech Difficulties
Many people with misaligned teeth experience speech difficulties.
Speech is a complex mechanical action, essentially turning the mouth into a musical instrument. Oral problems, then, can be like a missing string on a guitar, making it difficult to produce common sounds.
Speech problems can lead to a lot of social embarrassment and even develop into psychological problems in the long term. This is one reason why braces for teens are especially important, as this can damage confidence at a vulnerable psychological stage.
- Jaw Fatigue
Your teeth have a surprising role to play in the overall shape of your face and head, and your resting jaw position is one great example.
Misaligned teeth may not close together in a way that allows the jaw to reach its natural resting point. This can cause jaw fatigue, as you might need to actively hold your jaw in what should be its natural position. Over time, this could also cause long-term misalignment of the jaw.
- A Lack of Confidence
Many of the issues caused by misaligned teeth can also lead to less tangible problems. You might feel self-conscious about your teeth, perhaps even refusing to smile for photos.
This is a sign that your teeth are causing you psychological distress, and it’s just as important to address this mental side of the equation as any physical symptoms.
How to Know if You Need Braces: The Lowdown
It’s not always clear how to know if you need braces. These five key signs are a great place to start—if you check any of these boxes, you might want to consider speaking to an orthodontist for a professional opinion.
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