Four Things Your Dentist Looks For When Considering Braces Treatment

Braces are the most common treatment for correcting crooked teeth, spaces, and gaps in the smile. But not everyone is a good candidate for braces. Your dentist will evaluate your mouth and look for certain conditions before deciding if you're a good candidate for braces. Your dentist will also discuss with you how long it might take to see results from this type of treatment and what you can expect before getting your braces on.

Here are four things your dentist will consider when deciding whether or not to recommend braces:

1. Your Age

Your age is a key factor in determining whether or not you are a good candidate for getting braces. Braces treatment typically works best during a child's growth spurt. However, braces can be successful at any age. For adults, it may take longer and be a bit more difficult, but modern techniques and materials have made it possible to achieve excellent results, even for older patients. If braces are the best option at any stage of life, your dentist will recommend them when appropriate for your dental health needs. 

2. Bite Issues

Your bite issues are taken into consideration when deciding on a treatment plan for braces. Your dentist may find that some of your teeth are pushed forward or back in your mouth, which means they will not align properly with each other when you bite down on something hard such as an apple or a carrot. This can cause problems with how well-aligned your teeth are and how straight they look when smiling or talking to someone face-to-face. If this is the case for you, then it might be time to get braces in so that you can get things moving back into place and looking normal again.

3. Crowding

If you have crowding in your mouth, you may need braces to fix it up so that you can eat properly and speak clearly without lip-spreading or chewing on your words. Crowding can happen when one tooth grows faster than another or when there isn't enough space between teeth for them all to fit comfortably in the mouth. Crowding will usually show up on X-rays as having more than one tooth touching another, which is bad news for your teeth and even worse for your jawbone!

4. Your Gum Health 

Your gums must be strong and healthy in order to support the wires and brackets used in braces treatment. If you have gum disease or other oral health issues, these could affect your ability to have this kind of treatment done correctly and safely.

If you are considering having braces, chat with your dentist about any issues that you might have and how they could affect your treatment.  

For more info, contact a professional that provides braces in your area. 

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