You may be surprised to know that the Benefits of having properly aligned teeth extend far beyond a confident smile. Straightening your teeth can actually significantly affect your overall health Tooth decay and gum disease are caused by bacteria. Bacteria love dark, crowded corners and niches to live and multiply. Left untreated, they can cause painful and unsightly gingivitis, bad breath, tooth decay and possible eventual tooth loss. Studies have shown that oral infections can also lead to other, more serious ailments such as heart disease, stroke, pneumonia and diabetes.

Gingivitis or swollen, red, and bleeding gums can often be the result of having teeth that are out of alignment by being too crowded or to widely spaced apart. Unfortunately, there are also signs of periodontal disease. When teeth are properly aligned, it helps the gums fit more securely around the teeth, acting as a bodily shield for both support, allowing for a stronger and healthier defense against potential periodontal problems.

Historically, conventional bracket and wire orthodontics would be used to correct mal-aligned teeth. The idea of braces as we get older can be less-than-appealing to say the least. On a child, a mouth full of metal braces may seem cute, but it is a different story when we're adults. That is one of the leading reasons behind adults opting to not go after the straight smile that they long for. In addition, one of the biggest challenges to having braces is removing all the food, plaque and eventual calculus that can be easily trapped in the brackets and wires. This accumulation can often lead to eventual tooth decay and gum disease. Thankfully, due to breakthrough technology, there is another option available today that lets you get the smile you always dreamed about without bands, brackets and wires. The option is Invisalign. It can be used to treat the vast majority of common orthodontic problems for adults and teens. Whether your smile needs minor improvements or more extensive adjustments, Invisalign can certainly help.

A Clear Alternative

By using a series of clear, removable aligners, Invisalign straightens your teeth right before your eyes. Change them about every two weeks, and your teeth will move – little by little, week by week – until they have moved to their final position that your doctor has prescribed. Comfortable to wear, the aligners are also removable – so during treatment you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual. After treatment, properly aligned teeth greatly reduce the surfaces for bacteria to hide and multiply in. In addition, correctly aligned teeth can also alleviate the issues that can be caused by improper bite such as speech or chewing difficulties, jaw problems and jaw pain, and/or increased wear on the tooth enamel. Invisalign effectively addresses all of these orthodontic issues, so you'll have the confidence of a great smile and increase the likelihood of improved oral health.

So in conclusion, orthodontic treatment happens to be so much more than just creating a straighter smile. Fortunately, with Invisalign, having a confident, beautiful smile and reducing your risk of tooth decay and gum disease go hand in hand. As I tell the hundreds of Invisalign candidates I treat in my office, "A smile can hardly be perfect if it's not a healthy one." To learn more, visit our Cosmetic Dental Office in the Upper East Side, NY.