Maybe you’re living with crooked, overcrowded, chipped, or broken teeth? You might be considering restoring your smile with cosmetic dental procedures. Maybe you’re unsure because you feel that “there’s no reason to fix my teeth except looking better”? However, there are reasons to fix your teeth beyond cosmetic ones. Surprisingly enough, some issues that seem merely cosmetic actually affect your oral health and even your overall health. Dr. William Harper is an experienced dentist in Newport News VA who can help restore and preserve your smile. Learn more about the important reasons to fix dental problems from Dr. Harper and his team below.
Reduce Your Risk of Gum Disease
Overcrowded or crooked teeth may be a sign of deeper problems beneath the gums. Teeth can shift in your mouth and may become overcrowded if there’s no room for them to go. When teeth have moved too close together, they can crack or fracture. This crowding of your teeth can bring on pain and, if left untreated, eventually infection.
Crooked, chipped, or broken teeth are also challenging to clean. If teeth are not cleaned properly, plaque will form between teeth and along the gum line and begin to erode tooth enamel. Also, your gums can become infected and inflamed, pulling away from your teeth and causing them to be less stable.. Progressive gum disease is linked to systemic health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Ensure Your Teeth Wear Evenly
If teeth are not aligned properly, simple chewing will cause them to wear unevenly and lead to premature tooth decay and pain. An uneven bite, which could be the result of an overbite, underbite, a jaw injury, crooked or missing teeth, or even an uneven crown or molding fit, is a very common reason for excessive wear of teeth.
Excessive wear can easily lead to other more serious dental health concerns because under your enamel is an even more sensitive and vulnerable layer called dentin. Once uncovered, dentin erodes more quickly than regular enamel. If this issue is left untreated, a person’s teeth can be worn down to their stumps. At that point only extensive cosmetic procedure such as bridges, crowns, root canals, implants or even dentures may be necessary to remedy the issue.
Improve Your Overall Health
As stated above, gum disease is linked to overall health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s Disease. An uneven bite, fractured or overcrowded teeth, or even missing teeth can lead to gum disease simply because they are more difficult to clean properly. Therefore, correcting what seems like a cosmetic problem with dental veneers or bonding can actually keep your body healthy and prevent the need for more extensive procedures.
How to Improve Your Smile
Dr. Harper is an experienced dentist who offers many different types effective treatments to fit your needs. Call 757.414.7227 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our office today to keep your smile healthy and your confidence high!