Straight Teeth Are Healthy Teeth: Why Alignment Matters

We know your smile is important, and you want it to be full of beautifully white teeth that are in perfect alignment. Mother Nature often has different plans, creating misalignments that not only affect your great smile, but also impact your dental health.

Here at Modern Age Dentistry, our dental team, under the expert guidance of Dr. Ali Saeghi, offers a wide range of services that help your teeth with both form and function. And make no mistake, misalignments in your teeth can be a matter of both.

Here’s a look why alignment matters and why straight teeth are healthy teeth.

When teeth don’t align

A misalignment in your teeth is called malocclusion, or a bite that’s skewed. There are many different variations of malocclusion, including:

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Overcrowding
• Gapped teeth

The bottom line is that anything that prevents the teeth in your upper jaw from fitting in neatly with the teeth in your lower jaw is considered malocclusion.

The perils of malocclusion

There are many health considerations that crop up when your teeth aren’t properly aligned and we’ll review a few of them here to give you an idea about why a misalignment goes far beyond aesthetics.

Tooth decay

If you have teeth that overly crowded or rotated, it makes cleaning all of those extra nooks and crannies far more difficult. This allows ample opportunity for decay-causing bacteria to eat away at your dental structure if you’re unable to access these areas through normal cleaning.

Soft tissue damage

If your teeth aren’t aligned correctly, it can cause you to bite down on the soft tissues in your mouth, leading to a never-ending cycle of painful sores. This can happen on the insides of your cheeks and may affect your tongue, as well.

Uneven wear

With malocclusion, you may wear down certain teeth more than others, which only compounds your dental health. This can also lead to tooth damage or tooth loss.

TMJ pain

On either side of your jaw are tiny joints called temporomandibular joints (TMJs). If your jaws don’t line up, these joints can feel the stress and lead to TMJ pain. For some people, this can cause facial and head pain, too.

Fixing the misalignment problem

Thankfully, fixing the misalignment in your teeth isn’t terribly hard — it just requires a little time and patience on your end. To make the process go more smoothly, we offer Invisalign®. This innovative teeth-straightening system relies on clear aligners to gently guide your teeth into the proper position. The aligners are removable, which means you can maintain your teeth while you tend to your alignment problem.

In no time at all, you’ll receive the health and cosmetic benefits of straighter teeth. To get started simply call one of our offices in Atwater Village, Los Angeles, West Hills, Canoga Park, Ojai, Oak View, Los Feliz, Woodland Hills, and Calabasas, California. Or use the online booking tool on this website to make an appointment.