The 5 Ill Health Effects Of Malocclusions

A nice, even looking smile isn’t just beautiful; it is also a sign of good health. An even smile that closes properly, with teeth that are well aligned looks better and has many social benefits

People with nice smiles have an easier time finding a job, finding a mate and do better in social situations. But an even smile is also easier to clean, and thus easier to keep healthy. But aside from all of these well-known benefits, orthodontics also helps other problems that stem from a malocclusion. The human body is a series of interconnected parts, and the health and wellbeing of one part affects and is dependent on the wellbeing of all of the other parts. Below is a short list of all of the problems that can be caused by malocclusions, and that can be fixed with orthodontic treatment.

• Back pain: One of the most common problems that directly results from malocclusions is back pain. Since the jaw cannot close properly it is always using the nerves in the spine to keep the jaw at an angle, and this will eventually cause back pain.

• Neck pain, jaw pain: Neck and jaw pain is a very common side effect of malocclusions, and can be easily gotten rid of with orthodontic treatment. Because of the malocclusion, the jaws will be offset compared to one another, or may be completely open. Closing the jaw when it is misaligned may cause you to flex jaw muscles, and thus the relaxing position is rarely achieved, causing over stressed muscles that hurt and are sore.

• Snoring: Snoring is very frequently caused by misaligned jaws that do not close properly, thus the person is not getting enough air, and then open their mouth and snore as a result. Often times sleep apnoea and other more serious conditions have orthodontic malocclusions as their causes.

• Balance issues: Clumsiness and a distorted sense of balance can also result from having misaligned jaws and teeth that do not link up properly. Posture is very important in your sense of balance, and having jaws that close properly is the most important part of posture, as this is the only way you can keep your back straight.

• Xerostomia: Chronic dryness of the mouth or xerostomia is a real problem that can have many causes. One of the most common ones is dental malocclusions, as they keep the mouth open and cause the mouth to dry out.