HCB Dental Corner - Quezon City, Philippines

In my years of practicing Dental medicine... People are asking If having orthodontic braces is only for making teeth straight and beautiful? Well to answer the question in full conviction, "Yes, it is!" Yet there is a "BUT" I would say.. In a robust form of contradiction! The word "only" is an understatement or lacking to that effect. I would smile and explain that that might be the most popular reason for having braces-people want to have straight teeth and want to look good..But then again i want to stress out that having braces is indeed a necessity.. Why?! Because having well aligned or straight teeth allows you to maximize the function of your toothbrush since you can land it intimately to almost all surfaces of your teeth effortlessly.. In other words you can access and clean your  

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teeth well, since they are positioned upright and gap free. Flossing is also stress-free and you'll avoid hurting your gums. If you're using your fav mouthwash then the effect is also outstanding since it flows freely to all areas of your mouth. Hence, having straight teeth(meaning your lower set of teeth levels well with your upper teeth thereby giving you a well established bite) prevents you from having TMJ disorder/issues(temporo-mandibular joint)that is known to be painful, irritating and costly to remedy. In conclusion, having braces is not "only"for cosmetic value. Yes, i agree that having straight teeth will boost your selfconfidence since you will look nice. But remember that the basic reason is having an overall oral health w/c I think is very important since you get to keep your pearly whites in a long term goal. Plus, you can eat well and choose any food you want since its palatable to eat having natural teeth than dentures or false teeth. You get to savor the true meaning of being a human in this culinary world. So Good luck! Eat well.. Live well! I am a dentist.. "We create healthy smiles." ~H.C.Bellen, DMD