A great smile brings positive impact on your face shape and features. When you look good, you tend to feel good as well. Psychosocial benefits of braces reported to have significant positive impact on adults and adolescents in their quality of life. Adults and adolescents who completed braces treatment noted increased self-confidence and improved self-esteem, while feeling less conscious of their teeth. This means improved social interactions at work and among friends, more confident at interviews and taking more photos while smiling.

The second obvious benefit of straight teeth would be easier cleaning! Crooked and overlapping teeth tend to trap more food and plaque which may lead to increased risk of caries and dental decay. With braces, teeth are properly aligned to allow better access during tooth-brushing and flossing, at the same time less food and plaque will be trapped. With the addition of good oral hygiene habits, the risk of dental decay can be reduced.

Many parents frequently think that braces treatment can only be started around the teenage years. However, certain types of malocclusion, increases the risk for dental trauma in young children. With 1 in 10 children experiencing dental trauma within the ages of 12-15, early orthodontic treatment can reduce the risk of dental trauma while having a positive impact on the child’s growth and development as well.

Orthodontic treatment has been reported to change certain lifestyle habits in patients. Patients with braces reported having a more balanced diet with reduced sugar intake and being more aware of the importance of good dental hygiene. Thus, braces treatment may indirectly foster good oral habits and healthier food choices which can be continued on even after braces treatment.

Well aligned teeth that occludes and contacts well also improves chewing function. This means that by aligning teeth and placing them in a more ideal position with braces, chewing function becomes more efficient. This indirectly helps with digestion and our overall health!

At the end of the day, braces treatment is now extremely common and there is nothing to be shy about having your teeth straightened! With so many added benefits of orthodontic treatment, don’t let the world stop you from changing your smile today!

Dr Stephanie Ho, BDS (AIMST), MDS Orthodontics (Singapore), MOrtho RCS (Edinburgh) is an orthodontist with a keen interest in creating great smiles. She believes that everyone deserves a smiling chance and focuses on delivering the best possible orthodontic care for her patients. She is a Member in Orthodontics of Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh and the Association of Orthodontics, Singapore.