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If you have crooked teeth but would like to straighten them, these days there are plenty of options for you. Having a straighter smile can give you a renewed self-image and confidence. With slightly crooked teeth, straightening them is straightforward and quicker than severely crooked teeth. Read on to discover the best ways to align your teeth for a beautiful smile!

Benefits to correcting crooked teeth

You might be wondering, “Why should I straighten my teeth?” There are a variety of reasons:

• Boost your confidence
  With a straight smile, you can beam more often, more proudly. You might find a new sense of self-confidence, self-assurance, and poise. Studies show that most people make an immediate judgement based on someone’s smile. You want that first impression to be a good one!

• Align your bite
  Straightening your teeth can help you achieve what is known as an ideal bite. An ideal bite simply means that your top and bottom rows of teeth align with each other. When you bite down, your teeth should distribute the pressure of the bite evenly over all teeth. Crooked teeth may cause your bite to focus pressure on certain teeth, weakening them over time.

• Improve your oral health
  You will have an easier time keeping your teeth clean when they’re straight. Food residue has a harder time staying hidden from brushing and flossing, and there is less open surface area for bacteria to grow.

• Chew and speak more easily
  An even bite lets you chew your food more easily. You may also find it easier to pronounce certain consonants.

Available treatments for crooked teeth

You deserve to have a beautiful smile! One of these treatments could be your ticket to that smile:

Braces or clear aligners

When we think of straightening teeth, our minds tend to go to braces or aligners as the first option, and for good reason: both techniques are proven to provide long-lasting results that can fix most crooked teeth.

For slightly crooked teeth, braces or aligners like Invisalign® trays work even faster than for those with severely crooked teeth. You will likely have great success with these methods, so reach out to your dentist today to start straightening your teeth! At Dr. Hardt’s Live Oak Dental Group, we happily provide Invisalign, so feel free to reach out and ask us about trying it out.

Dental bonding

Minor imperfections and slightly crooked teeth can be fixed using dental bonding. This highly adaptable method uses a composite resin putty to fill in crooked areas of your teeth. This gives your smile an even, straight appearance. Dental bonding works wonders for filling in small gaps in teeth as well.

Porcelain veneers

If your primary interest is in touching up your smile cosmetically, porcelain veneers can help you achieve your dream smile. They are thin, yet strong ceramic shells placed on the front of the teeth. Some of the tooth enamel will be removed for placement, so your teeth have to be in good shape for these.

Porcelain veneers work well to give you a dazzling straight smile in a short time. Unfortunately, they do not actually move your teeth and align them. If you are looking to improve your bite, veneers are not the best way to go.

Which one is right for me?

As always, talk with your dentist to find out which option is best for you. Usually that question can only be answered by examining your teeth, and no one better knows your teeth than your dentist. 

As an overall reference and review: Braces or Invisalign correct crooked teeth for good, and can improve your bite. Porcelain veneers can give you the appearance of straighter teeth. Dental bonding also gives the appearance of straighter teeth and works well for small areas or single teeth.

Get a straighter smile today!

Start on your journey to a straighter smile by reaching out to our practice. Call us at 559-781-0223 or send us a message to set up an appointment today!