2 Types Of Oral Health Treatments To Keep Your Oral And Overal Body Health At Their Best

Maintaining and improving their health is a goal of many Americans today. When your oral health is in decline or is not at its best, it can affect your overall body health, so it is important to do all you can to help keep your oral health at its best. Here are two types of oral health treatments to promote optimal oral health, which also improves your overall health and your mental health.

Teeth Alignment Correction

Overbites and underbites are common types of teeth misalignment, in which the bottom jaw and lower teeth are not in correct alignment with your top teeth. This type of misalignment can form as a result of several different causes. It can be caused by your genetic or hereditary factors, thumb-sucking, tongue placement that has pushed your teeth forward, or teeth that have simply grown into your gums in the wrong position.

It is important to correct a bite misalignment because it can lead to other problems later on in your life. For example, it can put excess pressure on your lower or upper teeth as you chew, which can cause your jaw bone to become damaged and your gum tissues to receive injury and boost the formation of cavities. Teeth misalignment can also cause strained jaw muscles and can wear down the enamel on your teeth and lead to cavities forming in your teeth. An improper bite can also cause speech issues and low self-esteem, as the problem can affect your appearance.

There are a couple ways to treat an improper bite. Talk to your dentist to find out the type of bite misalignment you have, and they may refer you to a local orthodontist. Your orthodontist can use braces to move your teeth to their proper position, or they can use a bite implement to help move your teeth and jaw into proper formation. For extreme problems you may need to have corrective jaw surgery.

Replace Missing Teeth

Tooth loss is a prevalent problem across the United States, with seven percent of people having lost at least one permanent tooth from tooth decay by the time they are the age of 17. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 percent of adults between the ages of 65 and 74 have lost all their teeth. Losing all your teeth can have a big affect on your life, affecting things such as the foods you can eat, how others perceive you, and your physical appearance.

A major problem resulting from tooth loss is the resulting bone loss in your jaw bones. In fact, losing just one tooth will cause your jaw bones to begin to deteriorate, leading to malformation of your facial bone structure and additional problems with chewing and talking. For this reason, dental implants are recommended to correct your tooth loss so you don't have to deal with bone deterioration and related problems.

Bone loss occurs after tooth loss because that portion of your jaw bone no longer receives the regular and necessary stimulation that it normally would from the tooth and its root when you chew. Without stimulation, the bone deteriorates, and you can begin to lose other nearby teeth.

See your dentist about getting dental implants so you can restore your oral health and save your jaw bones from the risk of deterioration. Your dentist can usually install dental implants in one appointment, with a permanent metal implant placed into your jawbone, which eventually fuses to the bone. A realistic and durable tooth cap is placed onto the implant to replace the missing tooth and restore your appearance.