Why Should I Get Braces?

Make a Good First Impression

Smiles are a big part of our identity, how we feel about ourselves and how others perceive us. In a recent survey, of more than 1,000 Americans (age 18 and over), 72% of the respondents agreed that people of all ages with healthy, straight teeth are typically treated better in social situations than those with noticeably crooked teeth. Conversely, nearly half said that crooked teeth leave a negative first impression.
"We live in a very image-conscious society and impressions are made within a few seconds. Straightening teeth makes a difference and can ultimately make or break your chances of getting certain opportunities."
— Mark Montano, host of TLC's, 10 Years Younger
The good news? With the innovative technology of the Damon System, it's easier than ever before to improve your smile in far less time, with greater comfort and with greater results and benefits that last a lifetime.

• Healthier teeth and gums
• Confidence to excel in school, work and personal life
• Broader smile
• Enhanced facial features
• Clearer speech for interviews, public speaking, etc.

Improve your Health

A nice smile is not only beautiful, it also promotes good health:

• Straight and evenly spaced teeth are easier to keep clean, resulting in better
  oral health.
• Properly aligned teeth chew more efficiently, which may help digestion.
• Aligned teeth create a better bite, which may reduce stress, headaches, and strain on your supporting bone and tissue.
• According to the American Association of Orthodontists, crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This may contribute to conditions that cause not only tooth decay but may lead to gum disease and tooth loss.

When left untreated, many minor orthodontic problems may become worse, contributing to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing, excessive gum stress on gum tissue, and misalignment of the jaw joints. This can all lead to chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck. Treatment by a specialist to correct minor orthodontic issues are often less costly than the additional dental care required to treat more serious problems that can develop in later years.
So, no matter what age you are it is never too early or too late to invest in braces and ultimately invest in yourself. Start enjoying the lifelong results today.

How Stress Affects Your Oral Health

Excess stress may give you a headache, a stomachache, or just a feeling of being "on edge." But too much stress could also be doing a number on your mouth, teeth, gums, and overall health.
The potential fallout from stress and anxiety that can affect your oral health includes:

• Mouth sores, including canker sores and cold sores
• Clenching of teeth and teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Poor oral hygiene and unhealthy eating routines
• Periodontal (gum) disease or worsening of existing periodontal disease

So how can you prevent these oral health problems?

Mouth Sores

Canker sores -- small ulcers with a white or grayish base and bordered in red -- appear inside the mouth, sometimes in pairs or even greater numbers. Although experts aren't sure what causes them -- it could be immune system problems, bacteria, or viruses -- they do think that stress, as well as fatigue and allergies, can increase the risk of getting them. Canker sores are not contagious.
Most canker sores disappear in a week to 10 days. For relief from the irritation, try over-the-counter topical anesthetics. To reduce irritation, don't eat spicy, hot foods or foods with a high acid content, such as tomatoes or citrus fruits.
Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are contagious. Cold sores are fluid-filled blisters that often appear on or around the lips, but can also crop up under the nose or around the chin area.
Emotional upset can trigger an outbreak. So can a fever, a sunburn, or skin abrasion.
Like canker sores, fever blisters often heal on their own in a week or so. Treatment is available, including over-the-counter remedies and prescription antiviral drugs. Ask your doctor or dentist if you could benefit from either. It's important to start treatment as soon as you notice the cold sore forming.

Teeth Grinding

Stress may make you clench and grind your teeth -- during the day or at night, and often unconsciously. Teeth grinding is also known as bruxism.
If you already clench and grind your teeth, stress could make the habit worse. And, grinding your teeth can lead to problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), located in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet.
See your doctor and ask what can be done for the clenching and grinding. Your dentist may recommend a night guard, worn as you sleep, or another appliance to help you stop or minimize the actions.

Poor Oral Hygiene

Being under extreme stress may affect your mood and cause you to skip oral hygiene habits such as flossing and brushing.
If you don't take care of your mouth, your teeth and overall oral health can suffer. If you already have gum disease, skipping daily hygiene may worsen the problem. If your mouth is in relatively good health, falling down on brushing and flossing can lead to gum disease or increase your risk of cavities.
When under stress, you may also develop unhealthy eating habits, such as snacking on large amounts of sugary foods or drinks. These habits increase the risk for tooth decay and other problems.
Just reminding yourself of the importance of hygiene and healthy eating may help. Boosting or resuming your exercise routine can help you relieve stress and feel energized enough to tend to your oral hygiene and cook healthier meals. Exercise will also boost your immune system -- and that, too, is good for your oral health.

Gum Disease

Stress can cause an increase in dental plaque, even when the high stress levels are short term. That's according to a study that evaluated people who cared for loved ones with dementia and who experienced stress.
Long-term, the stress these caregivers felt boosted their risk of bleeding gums, or gingivitis, which can progress to serious gum disease.
Stress can lead to depression. And depressed patients, according to recent research, have twice the risk of an unfavorable outcome from gum disease treatment compared to those who aren't depressed.
You can't make depression or the stress disappear, of course. But experts say that learning healthy coping strategies can help reduce the risk of gum problems getting worse. Healthy coping is "problem-focused" with active and practical strategies to deal with the stress and depression, experts say. 
Remember, eating a balanced diet, seeing your dentist regularly, and good oral hygiene help reduce your risks of periodontal disease. Make sure you brush twice a day and floss daily. 

 

WebMD Medical Reference

Dental Fun Facts
Did you know that Americans cite bad breath as the least attractive trait a co-worker can have? Be more popular around the water cooler and brush after lunch.

Cap the paste but not the brush. Covering the brush can trap moisture and encourage bacteria growth. Yeah, we know. Gross, huh?

The average women smiles about 62 times a day, while the average man smiles only 8 times. Women are also more likely to brush their teeth and visit the dentist regularly. Think there might be a connection here?

MacGyver claims dental floss works well as a cake cutter, makeshift clothesline, replacement fishing line, picture hangers and much more. Our favorite use for it? Cleaning your teeth.

Dental floss has played a role in many attempted prison breaks, used as everything from a rope to a chainsaw. None have been successful. We suggest flossing with it.

Bottled water doesn’t contain the tooth-decay fighting fluoride, which is added to most municipal water supplies. Ditch the bottle and drink from the tap.

Saliva helps you eat by breaking apart food particles and cleaning your mouth afterwards. The average person produces 10,000 gallons of saliva over their lifetime (no data as to how much winds up as spitballs).

Sports, accidents and fights are the leading cause of tooth loss in people under the age of 35. Play it safe and wear a mouth guard.

Each day, the average person spends 8.5 hours sleeping, 1 hour eating, 7.2 minutes volunteering and only 50 seconds brushing their teeth. Set your alarm 2 minutes earlier and squeeze in some extra brush time. Dentists recommend 2-3 minutes.

Americans spend $100 billion per year on hair care products – and only $2 billion a year on dental care products. What good is great hair without a great smile?

The next time you want to play hooky, head to the dentist for a cleaning instead. Last year alone, adults missed over 164 million hours of work – and children missed over 51 million hours of school for dental related problems.

If flossing properly, the average person should use 122 yards of floss per year. Twenty-eight percent of people claim to floss daily, but annual sales data shows only an average of 18 yards of floss are sold per person. We think someone’s fibbing.

Spearmint Sparkle. Peppermint Breeze. Eggshell Shine? The next time your dental hygienist asks you to pick a flavor, consider this – the ancient Romans used a mixture of bones, eggshells and oyster shells and honey to clean their teeth! We recommend you stick with the paste.

Let’s all scrub together now! The average toothbrush has around 2500 bristles grouped into about 40 tufts.

Contrary to popular belief, George Washington’s famous dentures weren’t made from wood. His four pairs of custom chompers were crafted from gold, ivory, lead and a mixture of human, donkey and hippopotamus teeth (take care of yours and you won’t have to think about it!).

Caring for teeth with braces

When you think of braces, do you think of traditional shiny gray metal bands used to straighten teeth exclusively for the sake of appearances? Did you know that today braces come in colors (even sparkles!) and that health troubles as varied as headaches, jaw pain, earaches, mouth breathing and sleep apnea can be potentially alleviated with proper alignment of the teeth and jaws? Many adults are wearing braces now, too.

Braces are often placed in patients between 10 and 14 years of age to correct crooked or overcrowded teeth. “The benefits of braces are many,” says Ken Sutherland, DDS, Delta Dental senior dental consultant. “Straight teeth, an attractive smile, improved dental function and, often, improved overall health are all results of wearing braces."
Below are some answers to questions about staying comfortable and healthy while wearing braces.
Why is good oral hygiene with braces so important? Food and plaque can get trapped in the tiny spaces between braces and wires, causing decay and enamel stains. Food can also react with the bacteria in your mouth and the metal in the braces to produce a bleaching effect, which can cause small, permanent light spots on the teeth.
How should teeth and braces be cleaned? It is best to brush after every meal and use a floss threader or special orthodontic floss (available at drug stores) at least once a day to clean between braces and under wires. Check your teeth in a mirror to make sure all food particles are gone. If you don't have your toothbrush with you, rinse your mouth vigorously with water.
How do braces feel? The wires that are used to move teeth into position are usually tightened at each visit to the dentist or orthodontist. This causes pressure on the teeth and some discomfort. Eating soft foods and taking a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®, for instance), can help. Also, braces can rub against the inside of the lips. If this is a problem, a special wax can be placed on the wires to keep them from chafing (available from your dentist or orthodontist and at drug stores).
How long do braces have to be worn? It depends on how complicated the spacing or occlusion (bite) problem is. Most braces are worn for 18 to 30 months. After the braces are removed, the patient wears a retainer, which is used to maintain the position of the teeth while setting and aligning the tissues that surround the newly-straightened teeth.
Should any foods be avoided? Yes. Sweets, soda and other sugary and starchy foods can promote tooth decay and gum disease. Sticky and chewy foods (caramel, taffy, chewing gum, dried fruits) can stick to braces and be difficult to remove. Biting and chewing hard foods, such as some candies and nuts, ice, beef jerky and popcorn, can break wires and loosen brackets. Avoid damaging wires on the front teeth by cutting carrots, apples and other crunchy, healthy foods into bite-sized chunks before eating them

Benefits of Orthodontics

A smile you can be proud of is an obvious benefit of orthodontic treatment. People who are happy with their smile are more confident with themselves and with the people around them. It is no wonder that parents want to provide their children with the best chances of success and that adults seek treatment for personal and business reasons.
But beyond the cosmetic advantages of straight teeth, there are important medical benefits as well.
Properly aligned teeth and jaws may alleviate or prevent physical health problems. Straight teeth are less prone to decay, develop periodontal (gum) disease and decrease risk of injury. When teeth are properly aligned, it is easier to keep them clean. Straight teeth collect less plaque which is a risk factor for periodontal disease. Protruding upper teeth are more likely to be broken in an accident, so repositioning and aligning them with other teeth can result in a decreased risk for fracture.
Untreated orthodontic problems may lead to tooth decay, periodontal disease and digestive difficulties. Misaligned teeth can also cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing and stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth. In extreme cases, misalignment of the jaw joints can result, sometimes leading to chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck. Early prevention may be less costly than the dental care required to treat more serious problems that can develop in later years.
So, orthodontic treatment can mean more than just a great smile. And that’s something you can smile about!