Maybe you feel embarrassed to smile because you’re living with crooked, overcrowded, chipped, or broken teeth? You might be considering restoring your smile with cosmetic dental procedures such as dental implants, dental bonding or veneers. Maybe you’re unsure because you feel that “there’s no reason to fix my teeth except to look better”? However, there are viable health reasons to restore your smile, beyond the cosmetic ones. Surprisingly enough, some issues that seem merely cosmetic actually affect your oral health and even your overall health. Dr. Durning Moore of Charlotte Center for Complete Dentistry is an experienced dentist in Charlotte, NC who can help restore and preserve your smile. Learn more about the important reasons to fix dental problems from Dr. Moore and his team below.
Reduce Your Risk of Gum Disease
Overcrowded or crooked teeth may be a sign of deeper problems beneath the gums. Teeth can shift in your mouth and may become overcrowded if there’s no room for them to properly grow in. When teeth have moved too close together, they can crack or fracture as they move. This crowding of your teeth can cause pain and, if left untreated, eventually infection.
Crooked, chipped, or broken teeth are also challenging to clean. If teeth are not cleaned properly, plaque will form between teeth and along the gum line and begin to erode tooth enamel. Also, your gums can become infected and inflamed, pulling away from your teeth and causing them to be less stable. What’s more, progressive gum disease is linked to systemic health problems like heart disease and diabetes.
Ensure Your Teeth Wear Evenly
If teeth are not aligned properly, over time they will wear unevenly and cause premature tooth decay or pain. A common cause for excess tooth wear is an uneven bite, which could be the result of an overbite, underbite, a jaw injury, crooked or missing teeth, or even an uneven crown or molding fit.
Excess tooth wear can lead to several more serious dental health concerns because teeth can be worn down to the more sensitive layers beneath the enamel, called the dentin, and dentin erodes even faster and more painfully than enamel once it’s exposed. If left untreated, a person’s teeth can be worn down to their stumps, meaning that bridges, crowns, root canals, implants and even dentures may be necessary to remedy the issue.
Improve Overall Health
Gum disease is linked to overall health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s Disease. An uneven bite, fractured or overcrowded teeth, or even missing teeth can lead to gum disease simply due to the fact that they are more difficult to clean. Correcting what seems like a cosmetic problem can actually keep your body healthy.
Improve Your Smile with Restorative Dentistry in Charlotte, NC
Dr. Moore is an experienced dentist who offers many different types of conservative, effective treatments to fit your needs. Schedule a consultation online with our office or call (704) 275-5323 today to keep your smile healthy and your confidence high!
