Cosmetic dentists today can offer you many options for making your teeth appear straight, large, and bright white. However, there are times when cosmetic dentistry itself may not be the right treatment option, or may not be enough to address certain issues with misaligned teeth. In some cases, orthodontics, or actually moving teeth into alignment, is the better choice. While only your dentist can recommend the best treatment for your misaligned teeth, note a few factors that may need to be considered.
Gaps
Gaps between teeth can be very unsightly, but don't assume that a cosmetic bonding or caps over your teeth is always going to be a good solution. Bonding or caps may not be strong enough to actually support that area between teeth, so they your teeth easily break when you eat or bite down on anything. Bonding and caps also may not provide your upper and lower jaws with the support they need for the muscles to relax, and you may feel persistent aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Having the teeth properly aligned is the best way to offer support and strength for the jaw and to keep the mouth safe and healthy.
Teeth too close together
If gaps are bad, you may think that teeth that are very close together would be a good thing. However, having teeth that rub against each other can cause erosion of the tooth enamel. This can also mean food particles getting caught in between the teeth so they can't be cleaned properly, leading to gum disease and cavities.
A cosmetic dentist might file down these teeth and then cover them with veneers so they look aligned; however, as with covering gaps, this can mean that your teeth are not very strong and not supporting the jaw as they should. Having the teeth actually aligned properly will mean being able to clean them as needed, and also means the jaw will have proper support.
Jaw pain
If your teeth are undersized or if you have an overbite, you may already have jaw pain and discomfort. In these cases, a cosmetic dentist simply making the teeth look good usually won't fix this problem. Covering the teeth with veneers or caps won't give support to the jaw, as said, and won't alleviate that soreness and stiffness. Actually aligning the teeth with orthodontics will mean your facial muscles can relax, the jaw won't clench or shift out of position, and you'll get relief from that persistent pain.
