If you’ve always been self-conscious about your smile or uncomfortable with how your teeth look or feel, you’re not alone! At McMurphy Orthodontics, we see adults unsure about orthodontic treatment daily. If this sounds like you, adult braces could be the perfect solution!
At McMurphy Orthodontics, it’s never too late to achieve a healthier, happier smile. We can correct many orthodontic problems, including crooked teeth, overbites, underbites, and incorrect jaw positioning. While the most commonly known benefit of treatment is a more attractive smile, adult braces have many more benefits. Let’s explore four reasons to get adult braces!
Better Oral Health
Brushing and flossing are essential to any dental hygiene routine, but when teeth are poorly aligned, it can be challenging to keep them clean. This increases the risk of plaque and bacteria building up, potentially leading to tooth decay, gum disease, cavities, and gingivitis.
These may be common dental ailments, but they’re also preventable. Orthodontic treatment at McMurphy Orthodontics can move the teeth into straighter positions, making it easier to maintain an effective oral hygiene routine!
Improved Chewing & Digestion
When your teeth and jaws are out of alignment, you might have difficulty correctly biting and chewing your food. Left untreated, this can lead to excessive wear and tear on your teeth or the muscles of the jaws weakening. This can cause painful chewing, making any issues you already have worse.
Chewing your food is the first step of the digestion process and the most important one. It can affect your whole digestive system if you can’t chew properly due to misaligned teeth. When your teeth can’t properly break down food, it will pass through the digestive system much more slowly. Chewing may also be painful due to tooth or jaw pain, limiting your eating time.
Orthodontic treatment in our Biloxi or Ocean Springs office can align your teeth and help you chew normally, promoting healthy digestion.
Improved Speech
The alignment of your teeth and jaws can also affect your speech. Misaligned teeth can influence the placement of the tip of the tongue, which is essential to properly form certain sounds, including ‘t,’ ‘n,’ and ‘d.’
Dr. McMurphy has the knowledge and experience to help identify any misalignment-related speech issues. He can also assess the severity of any problems and devise the most effective solution based on your specific needs.
Improved Jaw Alignment
Misaligned teeth can have a noticeable effect on your jaw muscles and joints. If the jaws have to compensate for wrong positioning, the joints will respond, but they will often be in a position that can cause further damage. Some of the symptoms of improper jaw alignment are:
- headaches or migraines
- a jaw that seems to pop or “creak.”
- pain in the jaw, neck, or shoulders
- sleep disorders
A personalized treatment plan from McMurphy Orthodontics can help reduce or eliminate these symptoms by properly aligning your teeth and jaws. This approach will give you a smile that feels good, functions well, and looks stunning!
Find Your Perfect Treatment
Whatever your reason for seeking orthodontic treatment as an adult, you have more options than ever! We offer the following treatments in our Biloxi and Ocean Springs offices for a total smile makeover.
Metal braces
Metal braces are an orthodontic staple throughout our community, and for good reasons! They are one of our most efficient treatments, particularly for more severe or complicated cases.
Modern braces use high-quality stainless steel, but innovations in the design mean they’re much more lightweight and comfortable than previous versions. The total treatment time also tends to be shorter, giving you a beautiful smile quicker.
Ceramic braces
Clear braces work the same way as traditional braces but use ceramic brackets instead of metal ones. We can pair clear brackets with elastics or ties that are also clear, white, or tooth-colored for an almost invisible treatment option.
Ceramic braces can be an excellent choice for image-conscious patients. Still, they are more delicate than metal braces, so Dr. McMurphy recommends them for older teens and adults.
Invisalign clear aligners
The Invisalign system uses a series of customized, removable aligners that fit comfortably over your teeth. These clear aligners gently move the teeth into the desired positions, like braces.
You’ll wear the aligners 20 to 22 hours per day throughout treatment as directed by Dr. McMurphy for the aligners to be effective. Each aligner will also need to be replaced for the next system every few weeks.
Invisalign gives you extra flexibility since there are no food restrictions, and you can remove them to eat, drink, brush, and floss. You don’t have to work around wires and brackets, so you can brush and floss as you usually would.
All of these options can be a great fit for busy adults! You can trust McMurphy Orthodontics to recommend only the treatment method they feel will work best with your smile, lifestyle, and goals.
Get the beautiful smile you deserve with McMurphy Orthodontics
McMurphy Orthodontics is proud to offer patients the total package in Biloxi and Ocean Springs. Our expert team is committed to providing clear communication, compassionate care, and exceptional results.
If you’re looking for more information on how an aligned bite can improve your life, get in touch today to schedule a FREE consultation with Dr. McMurphy and take the first step toward a healthier smile!