Are Dental Braces Sufficient for Your Misalignment?

Dental braces are the most common treatment for tooth misalignment and for many people, they are potent and effective for straightening teeth. However, orthodontic treatments are never one-size-fits-all, and depending on your needs, dental braces on their own may not be enough to fix your dental issues.

Dental braces are often used to fix dental crowding. Crowding arises when teeth grow improperly, causing a shortage of space in your mouth. As a result, teeth grow in unnatural, crooked positions. Since braces are effective at fixing crooked teeth, they are sufficient for many people experiencing dental crowding.

However, dental braces may be insufficient to treat the most severe cases of dental crowding. For certain people, crooked teeth prevent other teeth from moving into position. In these cases, your dentist or orthodontist may need to perform tooth extraction on some of your teeth to make room for new ones.

After a successful tooth extraction, your orthodontist may also prescribe dental braces for you to use since your teeth will have more room to move. Once obstacles have been removed, you can apply sustained pressure to your teeth without risking further damage.

An alternative treatment for severe dental crowding is using a palate widener or palate expander to widen the roof of a patient’s mouth. Orthodontists only prescribe palate wideners to younger patients, since adults’ palatine bones are already fused.

About Remarkable Smiles

Remarkable Smiles is the brainchild of Dr. Mark Rashidi, a licensed orthodontist and orthopedic surgeon servicing clients looking for an orthodontist in Mission Viejo and other Orange County cities. Dr. Rashidi’s extensive experience and family-oriented approach aim to satisfy all patients searching for an Irvine orthodontist.