Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? This is a time for dentists and orthodontists to come together and emphasize the importance of orthodontics for oral health. It’s a vital aspect of your overall dental well-being, and we want to kick off the month by highlighting its significance.
One common misconception about orthodontics is that they merely serve cosmetic purposes. While this is partially true—orthodontics can serve cosmetic purposes—the primary function of an orthodontic treatment plan is to correct concerns in the mouth and jaw in order to improve your oral health.
For example, if your jaw is not aligned correctly or your teeth don’t come together properly, you will have more difficulty keeping your teeth clean. Crooked teeth are more prone to tooth decay than straight teeth, as spacing and alignment issues diminish the ability to brush and floss as thoroughly.
During National Orthodontic Health Month, we want to emphasize the American Dental Association’s recommendation that every child visit an orthodontist when they turn seven. This allows the orthodontist to begin monitoring the growth and development of the child’s jaw. While the child likely won’t be ready for orthodontics yet, it permits the orthodontist to follow the child’s growth every six months, which is incredibly helpful when creating the best treatment plan possible.
We also want to underscore that orthodontics are not all about crooked teeth. There are so many things that can be done with orthodontics to help with your overall oral health, including addressing underbites, overbites, and palate expansion.
Finally, we want to restate that orthodontics is not always about aesthetics. Orthodontics is about cultivating a healthy mouth that you can clean efficiently on a daily basis.
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