Our Blog

Tuckahoe, NY – A beautiful, straight smile can help us confidently greet the world around us and set us up for a lifetime of good oral health. But if you don’t have a glaringly obvious orthodontic issue, do you still need braces?

While crooked, crowded, and overlapping teeth are signs that you could benefit from orthodontic treatment, there are many others to be on the lookout for, says Dr. Sam Polan of Tuckahoe Family Orthodontics.

“Braces do a lot more than just create a straight smile,” says Dr. Polan. “They can also help us chew and bite properly, improve our oral health, and prevent issues such as chipping and cracking. Even if you don’t have a noticeable malocclusion, braces may still be prescribed to ensure a healthy smile and properly functioning bite.”

Furthermore, for children it is recommended to see an orthodontist at age 7 for an orthodontic screening exam, even if nothing appears wrong with the teeth.  This is important because some problems that you may not notice can be managed very effectively if diagnosed early enough, but then become much more difficult to manage if not diagnosed until later.  An example of this is developing adult teeth that are becoming impacted (meaning they get stuck and do not come in), which are not visible to the eye but can easily be identified by an orthodontist with a panoramic X-ray.  If diagnosed early enough, dental impactions can often be avoided with early intervention, but if diagnosed later they can be very challenging to correct. 

Correcting the spacing and alignment of your teeth is the most obvious benefit to braces, but orthodontic treatment can help properly align your bite so that you can speak, bite, and chew properly, while also ensuring proper oral care and a lifetime of good oral health.

How can braces ensure a lifetime of oral health?

Misaligned teeth are harder to keep clean. If your teeth are severely overcrowded, it can be difficult to properly brush and floss between your teeth. This can make them more susceptible to decay, cavities, and gum disease. On the opposite end of the spectrum if you have too much space between teeth, other teeth will be more likely to drift into open spaces, causing jaw pain. 

If you have a misaligned bite, you will place an uneven amount of pressure on your jaw when you bite down. This can lead to jaw pain and discomfort. It can also lead to wear and tear on our teeth, and even lead to chipping, cracking, and breaking. And that can lead to costly restorative work. 

Making certain sounds can also be difficult if your teeth are misaligned. When we speak, our tongue must come into contact with our teeth at certain points depending on the sound. Misalignment can alter this, making certain sounds difficult to make properly.

“For some patients, crowded or misalignment is visible so it can be easy to tell they may need braces,” says Dr. Polan. “For other patients, issues could be located in the back of the mouth or could be more subtle. But subtle issues shouldn’t be overlooked because they can compound over time.” 

Our goal at Tuckahoe Family Orthodontics is to provide every patient with the care they need and precisely the right time to make the most impact. If you believe you or your child could benefit from orthodontic treatment, or if your dentist has recommended it, schedule your complimentary consultation today. Simply call our office. Dr. Polan will be able to diagnose your issue and create a treatment plan that will address your needs and provide you with your ideal smile.