4 Issues Braces Can Help Fix

Although having braces, or clear aligners, and getting them tightened may not be the most fun, the benefits braces from Orthodontist Santa Maria can provide goes well beyond a straighter smile. Learn more about four common issues braces can fix below.

1. Overcrowded or Spaced Teeth

Having overcrowded or spaced teeth can take a real toll on a person's self-esteem, and children and adults alike can feel too self-conscious to smile and laugh as openly as they'd like to. Fortunately, fixing overcrowded teeth or gaps, large and small, is relatively easy with braces or clear aligners. Both methods place gentle pressure on teeth and gradually push them to the desired position. 

Braces and aligners have only gotten better in recent years, and they are more comfortable and less noticeable now more than ever!

2. Cavities and Periodontal Issues

When teeth are overcrowded or misaligned, it can often make brushing teeth and flossing properly difficult. As a result, periodontal disease is common in people with teeth alignment issues, as it's hard to reach every spot to clean away debris and plaque. 

Braces can realign teeth over a series of months or years, and with better alignment comes easier access to hard-to-reach spaces for proper cleaning. After braces, a person might experience significantly fewer cavities and gum issues, as well as less pain overall from both problems. 

3. Jaw Misalignment

When teeth are misaligned, it can lead to an uneven bite, which can ultimately cause more chronic jaw issues like temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) issues. Not only are jaw misalignment issues can be incredibly painful, and some even require prescription pain relievers to provide temporary respite from the pain. 

TMJ specifically can be treated with a few different methods, like physical therapy, mouth guards, or even jaw surgery, but braces are often a first line of treatment to relieve and prevent future jaw problems from occurring. 

4. Chewing or Speech Problems

Sometimes people will struggle with chewing or speech issues, and both can be completely corrected with the use of braces. In fact, many mild speech impediments significantly improve or disappear altogether after a person has braces, as crowded or crooked teeth may no longer impact their ability to speak clearly. 

Chewing some foods can also be excruciating for people with misaligned teeth or jaw issues, and braces can be a simple and effective way to correct these problems within months. 

The Bottom Line

Most people associate braces with getting straighter teeth for aesthetic reasons, but many don't realize that having properly aligned teeth has a whole host of other benefits for oral, and overall, health. Braces, and clear aligners, may seem costly in the short term, but they can help alleviate some of these problems and more, while also greatly boosting your self-esteem. 

If you believe that you, or your child, is ready to get braces or aligners, be sure to speak with your regular orthodontist or get a referral to one from your dentist. An orthodontist can help you decide what is right for you. 

River Market KCMO Date: Pigwich, Planter's, Lock up Your Love, Betty Rae's, Opera House, a Park

So when you've been with someone almost 26 years (we met in July of 1995, and here's our love story) and you have 5 kids together, it's easy to get into a routine of work, kids, busy, house projects, dishes, cooking, laundry, driving, errands, homeschooling, dentist, eye doctor, orthodontist, social stuff at home and other places, taxes, fishing, etc.

Maybe you try to carve out a day, put it on the calendar, but then something else comes up and you have to move the date to another time or maybe it just falls off the radar altogether. Also, with 5 kids coming and going, a couple driving, some with other plans, it becomes a homework assignment in rocket science to make it all work out. Not to mention you have to make sure there is plenty of food at home, and then you have to run down the ground rules again.

I'm happy to report that, although my husband and I didn't date much when the kids were younger (simply because we enjoyed being with them so dang much and also we had like 6 years together before we ever had kids), we are dating more now, when we can. Recently we went to Ronnie's Restaurant in Lenexa and it was fantastic!

I put this date on the calendar several weeks ago. It was originally supposed to be May 8, but I was consulted and agreed that a fishing trip with Mr. McLoughlin and Twin and 6 of the kids (4 of ours and 2 of Twin's) would be fine as long as we could move the date to May 1. 

Look, I know the MALE is supposed to plan the date and all that. I get where you're coming from, and we teach our boys that THEY call the girls and not the other way around. And we teach our girls that they should expect to have doors opened for them, etc. They are very blessed to have many friends whose parents have similar values. 

But sometimes you want to plan something nice for someone, you know? I chose a restaurant I knew he would like, a shopping experience I thought he would enjoy, and some exercise I knew he was craving. Then I got one more surprise idea. Here's our day in pictures! I hope it gives you some inspiration!

Four Ways To Relieve Tension In The Body

 Our bodies can naturally hold a lot of tension from the day and it’s not something that we often realize until someone tells us to physically relax our body. We then find that perhaps our shoulders are tightened and that you’re clenching your jaw. Whatever tension you have in your body, the more you can get rid of it, the better it will be for your body’s health in general. Here are four ways to relieve tension in the body.

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The Essentials of College Planning to Graduate on Time

Some of the first-year undergraduate students fail to understand the meaning of academic planning. They may be oblivious to how important planning is to get through college in the appropriate amount of time. Without college planning, a student could be taking the wrong courses and end up spending more time in college than desired.

The Instrument

Educational planning is the instrument through which teachers organize their educational courses or syllabus. It allows them to articulate the content of the subject matter. It also gives students the methodology that teachers will use to present the material. In other words, teachers offer students so much material and resources for them to plan their way through college. With this, it is possible to rationalize the course, carry it out in a more conscious and reflective way to reduce the level of uncertainty.

It's Almost Hayfever Season, It's Time To Prepare!

 Any type of health complaint is not nice. Whether it’s aches and pains, or chronic headaches, it is not pleasant to deal with. This is the exact same for those who suffer with hayfever. Summer is almost upon us and with that comes the difficulties bestowed upon us by hayfever! Essentially it is manifested by inflammatory irritation of the ears, eyes, sinus system, and mucous membranes located at the top of the respiratory system.