Many people think of teeth straightening as cosmetic — but there is so much more to gain from orthodontics than just an aesthetically pleasing smile (though that’s a pretty great bonus!). Tooth position can also have a huge impact on our overall oral health.
In this guide, we will explore in which ways clear aligners and braces can improve your oral health. We hope you leave with a better understanding of the wide range of benefits that an aligned smile can provide, and an idea of whether these treatments are right for you.
Table of Contents
Can Orthodontic Treatment Improve My Oral Health?
Our mouths are little ecosystems operating in a delicate balance. If you change one part of the ecosystem, it affects the entire thing.
With orthodontic treatment, these changes are intended to be positive. If your dentist or orthodontist deems you a good candidate for braces or clear aligners, then yes — they’ll probably improve your oral health. To see how, keep reading, or check out our in-depth guides on oral health with braces and oral health with clear aligners.
Orthodontics and Oral Hygiene
Straightening crooked teeth isn’t just an aesthetic decision; it can also make your smile much easier to clean.[ 1 ] Crooked teeth provide numerous hiding places for bacteria that even the most experienced brushers and flossers might miss. We have some good bacteria, but bad bacteria are the root of most dental problems, and if you let it flourish, it can cause cavities, gingivitis, and sometimes even lead to tooth loss.[ 2 ]
Crooked teeth are harder to clean effectively, giving bacteria more places to hide. By straightening your teeth, braces and clear aligners make it easier to eliminate that bacteria. Good oral hygiene is easier to maintain with clear aligners than braces, but they both come with their own challenges and routines.
Can orthodontics improve your oral hygiene?
For a lot more on the topic, see our guides on how to maintain good oral hygiene with clear aligners and with braces.
Orthodontics and Gum Health
Your teeth aren’t the only things that will benefit from orthodontic treatment — so will your gums. Here’s how.
Gingivitis
If crooked teeth allow plaque to stay on your teeth for too long, it can solidify into tartar, which requires a deep cleaning from a dental hygienist. Let tartar sit near the gum line long enough and it can irritate the part of your gums surrounding the tooth (the gingiva).[ 2 ] This is called gingivitis, and it causes swelling and bleeding. Gingivitis is very common, but if you leave it untreated, it can turn into periodontal disease, which is irreversible and can lead to gum recession or tooth loss.
Since straightening your teeth makes it easier to reach bacteria with your toothbrush and floss, it could save you from larger gum problems down the line.
Gum Recession
Your gums are delicate — numerous behaviors can cause them to recede, and once they do, they won’t grow back. The good news is that orthodontic treatment helps eliminate many of the issues that lead to gum recession. Many causes stem from the uneven wear and abrasion that a misaligned bite can cause.[ 3 ]
When you have a properly aligned bite, all the teeth are working together when you chew. That’s why misalignments can put a lot of pressure on a few key teeth, causing the gums to recede. Aligning your bite with braces or clear aligners distributes the work of chewing in a more balanced way, saving those few teeth from undue stress and uneven wear.
Will orthodontics help your gum health?
Find out more in our in-depth guides on how clear aligners and braces can help prevent or improve gum recession.
Orthodontics and TMJ/TMD
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your jaw to your skull, and it’s responsible for opening and closing the jaws. TMJ refers to the joint itself, but TMJ has also become shorthand to describe disorders of that joint, which are technically referred to as TMD (temporomandibular disorder).[ 5 ] Both are common in the medical community, although TMD is technically the correct term for jaw joint pain.
TMD has several causes. Orthodontic treatment can help relieve TMD cases that stem from bruxism or misalignment. A misaligned bite can put too much pressure on certain areas of the jaw, potentially resulting in TMD.[ 5 ]
Are orthodontics the answer for your TMJ?
We’ve got full guides on how clear aligners and braces may improve temporomandibular joint disorder. Check them out.
Orthodontics and Bruxism
Bruxism is the chronic grinding and/or clenching of teeth[ 4 ], and when you grind your teeth overnight (sleep bruxism) you may not even realize you are doing it. That constant wear can wreak havoc on your teeth, sometimes causing premature enamel degradation or gum recession — both of which can require invasive (and expensive) procedures down the line.[ 4 ]
To treat bruxism, dentists often recommend a night guard — a durable piece of plastic that prevents your teeth from grinding against each other overnight. However, a night guard is not a cure-all for bruxism, in fact, it may just mask an underlying problem like tooth misalignment or jaw problems.
Orthodontic treatments like braces or clear aligners can help alleviate or eliminate bruxism when the teeth are in the proper position. When you undergo clear aligner treatment, you’ll be wearing aligners for 22 hours a day, which doesn’t leave much time for teeth grinding. Braces, however, stay affixed to your teeth until treatment is complete. It’s possible to wear a night guard with braces, but it all depends on the type of braces and the style of guard.
When you finish treatment, you’ll need to wear an overnight retainer indefinitely to ensure your teeth stay in their new positions. Fortunately for anyone dealing with bruxism, post-treatment retainers can provide similar relief to night guards. So while you are taking care of your new smile, you can also avoid the perils of bruxism. Two birds, one durable piece of plastic!
Can Orthodontics Cause Tooth Loss?
If you get your braces or clear aligners from a reputable company or office, follow directions on how to use them, and maintain good oral hygiene, it’s exceptionally rare to lose any teeth.
Orthodontics can sometimes make your teeth feel slightly loose, but that’s completely normal. The only risk is something called root resorption, which is an inflammatory response to the force placed on teeth during treatment. Sometimes, the pressure is too great and it causes a tooth’s root to dissolve. However, root resorption is rare, and it typically just shortens the roots a little.
To avoid problems like root resorption, it is important to visit a licensed professional who treats orthodontics and uses imaging like x-rays to determine if you have premature problems with your teeth, roots, or gums.
Of course, during orthodontic treatment, you’ll need to be extra diligent about your oral hygiene. Neglect brushing and flossing and you could end up with complications that, if left untreated, could eventually lead to tooth loss. But that’s not because of the treatment itself.
Learn more about orthodontics and tooth loss
We get it. Tooth loss is worrisome. And although aligners and braces are almost never the sole cause, you might want more info. We’ve got full guides available for you.
Can Orthodontics Cause Other Oral Health Problems?
If you follow the instructions of a supervising dental provider, stay on top of your oral hygiene, and notify your provider of any new symptoms during treatment, the benefits of a straight smile will likely outweigh any risk associated with orthodontic treatment. If you never clean your aligner trays or fail to carefully clean around your braces, chances are you’ll run into some issues. Otherwise, clear aligners and braces shouldn’t cause cavities or gingivitis.
Straightening teeth is likely to cause some soreness, but that’s no reason to panic. If anything, it means that treatment is working and your teeth are on their way to their new locations.
If you get braces, you might also notice swollen gums, which can mean a variety of things. In many cases, it simply means your treatment is working and your gums are responding to all the movement under the surface by becoming swollen. But you should still tell your orthodontist if you feel some swelling, since it can also be a sign of gingivitis.
You might also experience some cheek and gum irritation as you get used to your braces brackets or aligner trays, but this typically fades pretty quickly. It isn’t a sign of a larger oral health issue; it is a response that will subside once your mouth grows accustomed to your appliances.
How Else Can I Improve My Oral Health?
Oral health doesn’t revolve entirely around orthodontic treatment. It’s a multifaceted endeavor, and one that you can improve through routine practices. Here are a few ways to improve or maintain your oral health.
Prioritize Nutrition
The balance of good and bad bacteria in your mouth has so much to do with your diet. The main culprit throwing off that balance is added sugar. We aren’t talking about naturally occurring sugars, so don’t avoid fruits. Added sugar intake, however, can actually be a better predictor of potential cavities than even brushing and flossing habits — the pillars of oral health routines.
If you want to improve your oral health, cut out added sugar. Ditch the soda for water, the sugary cereal for oatmeal, and the fruit snacks for fresh fruit. Taking sugar out of the equation gives you the best chance at avoiding cavities.
Focus on Mental Health
Stress and mental health issues can eventually manifest themselves in physical ways, too.[ 6 ] They can even have adverse effects on your oral health. Bruxism can occur as a response to stress or anxiety, sometimes without you even realizing it. We know it’s easier said than done, but de-stressing can vastly improve both your physical and mental health.
Mental health is a lifelong project that isn’t easily fixed by an article about orthodontic treatment, but a couple of small changes can be a good place to start de-stressing. Consider keeping a journal, going for a walk, or even talking to a friend or counselor to lower your stress levels.
Schedule Regular Dentist Visits
Visiting the dentist twice a year is an important part of your oral health. Not only can deep cleaning help you avoid cavities, but regular trips to the dentist can address any problems you experience before they get out of control.
Gum recession, for example, begins so gradually that it’s hard for the untrained eye to notice. Keeping twice-yearly dental appointments helps catch these issues in their early stages, while you still have time to take preventative measures. If you avoid the dentist because of cost, consider searching for dental schools in your area. These institutions provide discounted or free dental treatments by students, all monitored by licensed dentists.
Stop Using Tobacco and Tobaccoless Products
We all know that using cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products, and vaping has repercussions for our overall health.[ 7 ],[ 8 ] What you might not know is that it can specifically harm your oral health.
From staining and weakening the teeth to increasing the risk of oral cancers, tobacco of any kind takes a toll on your mouth. If you regularly use tobacco products, now is the time to work on quitting.
Retainer Wear
Consistently wearing your retainers after orthodontic treatment is critical. Your overnight retainers will help your teeth keep their new, properly aligned positions, preventing misalignments from returning.
Final Thoughts
Orthodontic treatment can do more than just transform your smile — they can also improve your oral health and save you from invasive treatments and expensive complications down the line. It even makes it easier to clean your teeth!
If you’ve been wanting to straighten your teeth and oral health is on your mind, then orthodontic treatment might be just the way to get the healthy smile you’ve been waiting for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tooth damage permanent?
Enamel damage and gum recession are both permanent. This is why regular dentist appointments are so important; you can correct these issues as soon as possible.
Isn’t straightening my teeth just an aesthetic decision?
Orthodontic treatment is often framed as a purely cosmetic pursuit, but that isn’t always the case! Misaligned teeth have the potential to cause major health problems down the road, like premature enamel wear, gum recession, and even tooth loss.1 Consider the aesthetically pleasing nature of straight teeth just an additional perk of tending to your oral health.
What is the most important change I could make to improve my oral health?
Giving up added sugars. Added sugars are the best possible gift you could give to the bad bacteria in your mouth. They are the number one predictor of cavities, even beyond brushing and flossing habits.
Is it easier to keep my gums healthy during treatment with braces or clear aligners?
Aligning your teeth provides you with healthier gums in the long run, no matter which treatment you use. During treatment, however, it’s much easier to maintain healthy gums and good oral hygiene with clear aligners than braces. That’s because aligners are removable, while braces maintenance requires a higher level of care since they’re affixed to your teeth.
Which is more comfortable: clear aligners or braces?
It mostly comes down to personal preference, but typically, people find clear aligners more comfortable than braces. The metal wires and brackets can be more abrasive than the comparatively smooth texture of a clear aligner.
How do I know if I have gingivitis?
In some cases, gingivitis doesn’t have many symptoms, and other times, it presents itself as swollen gums that bleed easily. It can be hard to know if inflamed gums are from braces themselves or from something more problematic — like gingivitis. That’s why it’s important to continue your regular dentist appointments throughout your braces treatment. They’ll notice and address any issues in the early stages before they can get worse.
Can I drink while wearing aligners?
You can drink water, but that’s it. You’ll take your aligners out for mealtimes, which includes any drinks that aren’t water. You’ll then need to brush your teeth and floss before putting your aligners back in.
How do you floss with braces?
It’s a little complicated to floss with braces since the archwire connecting your teeth is in the way. You’ll need to thread the floss behind the archwire in between each tooth. There are tools that can aid in this process.
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