An orthodontist treats issues related to jaw and teeth alignment. Continue reading to learn more about the role of orthodontic treatment in the improvement of facial shape. The primary benefits of orthodontic treatment are to achieve ideal teeth alignment and jaw bite for improved health, function, and appearance. One additional benefit of orthodontic treatment that often gets overlooked is the ability to create a more symmetrical facial shape.
Orthodontic treatment can, and often does, change facial shape. This article discusses facial shape change treatment from an orthodontist, along with other benefits of orthodontic care.
Many patients are surprised to find out that their clear aligners or braces treatment has actually changed their facial shape. This occurs because many orthodontic concerns such as overcrowded teeth and overbites can create issues with the proportions of a face. Orthodontist treatment can improve facial symmetry and remodel the face’s overall shape so that is more evenly distributed.
Facial shape change often occurs indirectly as a result of correcting the patient’s teeth and jaw misalignment. However, there are times when facial shape change may be intentionally achieved. For example, if the patient’s jaw is not wide enough to allow for proper tooth spacing, then the orthodontist may use a palatal expander to widen the upper jaw.
Braces and clear aligners, the two most popular forms of orthodontic treatment, both can bring about facial shape change. However, this is often done indirectly and as a result of primarily addressing teeth and jaw misalignment. There are also devices that are more specifically designed to widen the upper jaw, such as palatal expanders. These devices widen the upper jaw and can change the shape of the face while addressing the issue of teeth overcrowding.
In addition to improving facial symmetry through facial shape change, there are other benefits of orthodontic treatment. Most notably, orthodontist treatment improves the alignment of the teeth and the jaw. This provides cosmetic benefits and can give the patient even teeth with proper spacing between each tooth.
In addition, jaw misalignment such as overbites, underbites, and crossbites can be corrected. There are also oral health benefits of treatment from an orthodontist as reaching all areas of teeth becomes much easier when teeth are properly positioned. Lastly, some patients see an improvement in their function (talking, eating, and speaking) through orthodontic care.
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Here at our orthodontic practice, we help patients achieve better teeth and jaw alignments and subsequently address concerns they may have with their facial shape. If you are interested in learning more or are ready to begin treatment, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Request an appointment or call Richard R. Gallagher DDS MSD MSE PhD Inc. at 408-500-0810 for an appointment in our Gilroy office.
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