The principal reason why people seek to have orthodontic treatment is because they would like a more aesthetic smile, but in turn, these aesthetic reasons can affect self confidence and self esteem.
Orthodontic dentistry is used to move a patient’s teeth into a healthy and aesthetic position and will also ensure that your teeth are in the best position possible before any advanced work such as implants, crowns and veneers. Orthodontic work can treat the following problems:
- Crowded teeth.
- Overbites, underbites and crossbites.
- Misaligned teeth.
Straight teeth and a strong bite mean that your teeth will be easier to maintain, as unnatural gaps can make brushing and flossing challenging and cause a build-up of unwanted bacteria. Failing to address orthodontic issues could put you at risk of needing more complex treatment as a matter of urgency in the future.
Orthodontic treatment to restore your self esteem and confidence
You may find that the biggest difference you notice is your confidence and wellbeing post-treatment. Many patients lack the confidence to smile if their teeth have looked crooked but post-treatment, find that their desire to smile is restored.
Orthodontic treatment: children and young people
Unfortunately crooked and misaligned teeth can be the reason for a lot of bullying happening amongst children and this can have a huge impact on a child’s self image as they grow up. Children are shaped by their early experiences and their self esteem can become damaged if they suffer at the hands of other children because of their appearance – with this in mind, orthodontic treatment is one of the most important investments you can make for your child’s future emotional wellbeing.
A recent study carried out by the University of Sheffield found evidence supporting the role of orthodontics in improving well-being in young people. The study was co-authored by Professor Philip Benson, who said the following:
“We did a thorough search and found 13 studies that were relevant. Four of these studies used similar questionnaires to measure what young people thought about their teeth and how their dental appearance affects their life, before and after orthodontic treatment. We combined the data from these four studies to show that the improvement was measurable and moderately large in the areas of emotional and social well-being.”
Orthodontics to protecting your child’s teeth from trauma
From a precautionary point of view, if your child has an overbite, this can expose them to an increased risk of trauma, (from contact sports in school for example) so treating this as soon as possible will reduce the risk of a serious injury and the need for more serious treatment.
If you would like more information about the range of treatments we offer here in Reading, please do not hesitate to contact us.