Orthodontics are most closely associated with straightening teeth and letting patients achieve their smile goals resulting in a more beautiful smile. However, there are benefits associated with orthodontics that go far beyond improving the appearance of your smile, they can help improve your everyday health and comfort in surprising ways. In today’s blog we will be looking at how Orthodontics can help with jaw pain and alignment issues.
How do orthodontic Issues affect Jaw Pain?
There is a strong connection between the alignment of your teeth and jaw pain, as misaligned teeth can place undue strain on the jaw which can lead to pain. Some symptoms that indicate that the alignment of your teeth are the cause of jaw pain are pain or tenderness in the jaw area, an obvious clicking or popping sound when you open or close your mouth, headaches that are focused around your temples, difficulties chewing or biting and worn or uneven teeth. If these issues are left unaddressed, they can lead to long term health issues such as chronic headaches and long-term wear on your teeth which can lead to permanent damage or even tooth loss.
How can orthodontics address jaw pain and alignment issues?
The most common orthodontic device for correcting misaligned teeth and helping with jaw pain are braces. These braces will help shift the teeth and jaw into the proper position so the misalignment will no longer place undue strain on your temporomandibular joint, which is the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. Braces are usually effective on mild to moderate jaw discrepancies, but more serious misalignment may require a specialized orthodontic appliance in order to achieve the right effect. These orthodontic appliances may include headgear to correct issues with your bite or palatial expanders to create more space in your mouth and correct issues such as crossbites. In the absolute worst cases jaw surgery may be necessary to correct alignment issues and eliminate jaw pain.
We hope we have been able to show you the benefits of orthodontics in treating jaw pain and alignment issues. If you have any questions about orthodontic treatment, please feel free to contact us.
The Hicks orthodontic practice has been around for over 40 years, with Bryan Hicks taking over for his father. Dr. Hicks works hard to give his patients extraordinary outcomes from their orthodontic treatment.
If you have any questions about this article or need to talk to someone in the office, give us a call at (604) 922-0111.
