Who Is a Good Candidate for Braces?

Wearing braces can bring back your dental health. It can also improve the way you look, speak, and eat. Knowing if you qualify to have this type of dental straightening system can help you work with your dentist on how to maximize its benefits. Here are the factors that determine good candidates for braces.

Misaligned bite

A malocclusion or misaligned bite can result in bite problems, such as an overbite. Braces are the most common solution for this type of dental issue. Severe cases may need dental extraction or jaw reshaping surgery. These extra procedures can help correct the malocclusion. Combining them with braces can lead to the full correction of the misalignment.

The level of dental crookedness

Plastic aligners can treat mild dental gaps, overlaps, and misalignments. For more severe cases, metal braces are more effective. The metal brackets and wires can apply more force to specific teeth. That is why these components move the crooked teeth into their correct positions, just as the dentist explained.

Some people do not look too misaligned. Instead, these individuals may have twisted teeth. The dentist will need good pressure to twist these teeth into a normal position. That way, the teeth can meet the right way again. Traditional braces can make this happen.

Dedication to proper oral hygiene

A good candidate for braces should be an individual who values good oral hygiene. These dental straightening components will stay on teeth for months. The patient must make sure that teeth cleaning should be regular. This includes seeing the dentist once a month. Specific dental cleaning devices can help remove plaque and food particles from the brackets and wires. Using anti-bacterial mouthwash can rinse away the remaining plaque or food particles.

Healthy teeth

Weak teeth are easy to chip or break. Poor oral care may cause the teeth to shatter because of this dental straightening treatment. Braces will apply pressure on teeth. Healthy teeth can take the force from dental straightening. The patient must know how to care for their teeth, even with braces on.

The dentist will assess the patient’s teeth. If the teeth are strong enough, then the patient is a good candidate for braces. If the teeth are weak, the dentist can suggest other ways to make teeth look straight. Dental veneers and crowns can even protect weak teeth.

Indications that a person may need braces

A dentist who can handle dental misalignment is one that can help a patient go through treatment with braces. This dental care provider can assess the patient. The results can also give a clear treatment period for the patient. Here are some of the signs that the person may need braces:

• Finger sucking
• Irregular loss of baby teeth
• Mouth breathing
• Dental gaps
• Chewing difficulty
• Extra teeth
• Excessive cheek biting
• Overbite or underbite
• Jaw shifting
• TMJ symptoms