4 Ways Your Smile Can Change As You Grow Older

McClellan Orthodontics

Just as with most things in our bodies, your smile does change with age. From the teeth shifting to the enamel wearing down, the appearance and function of your teeth and bite evolve as you get older. The good news is, there are ways to minimize these age-related changes and keep your smile looking its best throughout your life.

Why does your smile change as you age? Some changes are due to natural biological processes, including bone remodeling and the tendency of the teeth to shift towards each other. Other reasons your smile changes with age may include:

1. Bottom Teeth Crowding - As you age, your jaw bone loses density and shrinks. The mismatched size of the jaw bone with teeth can lead to crowding of the bottom front teeth and this crowding can worsen with age. Crowding can also occur because other issues such as mouth breathing, gum disease, and even facial trauma.

2. Overlapping Teeth - As you get older and the jawbone changes, many people experience what’s known as physiologic mesial drift. It’s a slow, natural shifting of the teeth towards the front of your dental arch. As the teeth move towards the midline, they can overlap. It can be worsened by missing teeth, gum disease, bruxism and decay.

3. Collapsing Teeth - If you have gaps in your teeth, missing teeth that weren’t replaced or severe wear of the enamel, the teeth around the spaces can collapse inwardly. This is because the teeth try to fill in the empty spaces. As the teeth tilt or shift into the gaps, it will impact the appearance of your smile, as well as your bite. Missing teeth may also change your face shape.

4. Bad Bite - Misalignment of the teeth or jaw, known as malocclusion, doesn’t sort itself out. In many cases, if issues like crowding, spacing or an excessive overbite, underbite, open bite or crossbite aren’t treated, they will get worse as you get older. After years of living with a bad bite, you may also be dealing with the consequences of misalignment, such as tooth decay, gum disease, excessive wear of the enamel. These issues will create further changes to your smile.

While these changes may be completely normal, that doesn’t mean you just have to live with them. Whether you’re eight or 80, the biological process of orthodontic treatment is the same. Age does not keep teeth from moving. Check out our website to learn more about the options we have for adult orthodontics and then give our Kenilworth, IL office a call to schedule your initial exam.  

 

More Than a Pretty Smile

McClellan Orthodontics

The benefit of straight teeth is not only for aesthetics.

Straight teeth are easier to clean. When teeth are rotated and overlapped, more nooks and crannies exist where plaque bacteria can build up. Even with proper brushing and flossing, some areas may be difficult to clean and will have a higher risk of forming a cavity. Straighter teeth allow for easier cleaning and lower cavity risk.

Because misaligned teeth are more difficult to keep clean, the build-up of plaque bacteria can cause gum inflammation that may potentially lead to gingivitis and periodontitis. Also, gum recession can occur in areas with crowding due to difficulty with brushing.

Even if your teeth appear straight, there can be a problem with your bite. Added wear of teeth, chipping of teeth, and teeth grinding are very common problems when an improper bite is present. Jawbone and joint problems can also develop, leading to breakdown of the bones that support your teeth as well as TMJ pain, headaches, and migraines.

When teeth are crooked or the bite is off, it can change the shape of the face. Teeth with extreme overbite can make the lower jaw and chin look unpronounced, and underbite can make the chin look overly pronounced.

The benefits of straight teeth and jaw alignment are important to your overall well-being. If you are interested in straightening your teeth or have any questions about your options, we encourage you to contact us today to schedule an appointment. At McClellan Orthodontics, our team can develop a plan to ensure your teeth are not only straight, but a healthy bite is achieved.

 

 

Achieve a Healthy Smile in 6 Easy Steps

McClellan Orthodontics

For many people, an ideal smile is a mouth full of bright white, perfectly aligned teeth. But in addition to straight white teeth, you need to make sure that your smile is a healthy one.

Follow the steps below to make sure your smile is the picture of health.

1. Brush your Teeth Twice a Day

Brushing removes leftover food particles that can bond with saliva to form plaque. These particles feed the bacteria that naturally live in our mouths and these bacteria can eat through our tooth enamel and cause tooth decay.

2. Floss Once a Day

Flossing removes plaque between teeth and out from under the gumlines, where a toothbrush can’t reach. If left alone, plaque and tartar build up under the surface of the gumlines can cause periodontal disease, which leads to bone destruction and tooth loss.

3. Limit Sugary Drinks

The bacteria in our mouths thrive on sugar which makes sugary drinks a major contributor to tooth decay. Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet combined with regular brushing and flossing can help keep the bacteria under control.

4. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Good nutrition provided by healthy foods help your bones and teeth grow and stay healthy. Also...a lot of fruits and vegetables are crunchy and chewy, which promotes the production of saliva. Foods that require a lot of chewing are good for the teeth because more saliva means the mouth is naturally washed out more often.

5. Stay Hydrated

Water is the healthiest drink for your smile and your body. Drinking water helps rinse teeth clean and discourages tooth decay. Not only that…but keeping your body hydrated helps your mouth produce enough saliva to keep your mouth and teeth clean.

6. See your Dentist Twice a Year

Regular dental visits are necessary to preserving your oral health. Having routine cleanings every six months helps to promote good oral health and a beautiful smile. Regular dental checkups are the key to maintaining a healthy smile.

It can take some time before you start to notice changes from improved oral hygiene. While these changes won’t come overnight, they are certainly worth the time and effort, both for the sake of your smile and your overall health. If you have any questions regarding the health of your teeth and mouth, don’t hesitate to call our office. 

 

 

The Damon Braces Difference

damonbraces.com

At McClellan Orthodontics, we combine key components, which when used together, deliver faster treatment, greater comfort, and consistent high-quality results. Our practice offers advanced treatments such as Damon System Brackets.

The Damon System is not just about revolutionary braces and wires, it's an entirely new way of treating our patients. This clinically proven treatment approach aligns your teeth and enhances your facial aesthetics without extractions or palatal expanders, giving you a smile that is full and natural…the type of smile preferred by more than two-thirds of adults.

Smiles with a broad arch show more teeth and fill the corners of the mouth more fully. The result is a more natural and appealing smile. A broad arch also provides facial support, which reduces dark triangles at your mouth’s corners and improves your overall facial profile which may help provide a more youthful look.

Damon braces are designed to be discreet, comfortable and easy to keep clean. The passive self-ligating brackets eliminate the need for elastic or metal "ties". With these tie-less braces you can experience treatment without tightening.The unique design of these braces also helps to reduce the buildup of food particles and debris that tend to get lodged in the brackets of traditional metal braces. Thus, eating with Damon braces can actually be easier because your cleaning job is simpler.

Damon Braces give you a broader and healthier smile in less time and with greater comfort than conventional braces. If you are curious about Damon Braces or if you have specific questions about how they can help you acheive your best smile, please contact our McClellan Orthodontics Kenilworth office anytime!