Have you ever taken a moment to imagine the role that your upper teeth play? Well, we all know that they are commonly used for biting; but that aside, your front upper teeth play a very important role in enhancing your looks. People with great smiles tend to have well balanced upper front teeth. However, this is not to say that your lower teeth don’t matter; just that the upper front teeth tend to be affected most by problems like protrusion, spacing or overcrowding. As such, it is very important that one acquaints themselves with the different types of orthodontic treatment available for their problems.
What are some of the most common problems affecting the front, upper teeth?
Well, before we discuss the orthodontic treatment options available, it is important that we briefly mention the common problems affecting the front upper teeth;
- Protrusion; this is where the upper teeth protrude outwards, compared to the lower front teeth.
- Overcrowding; this is where the size of the teeth together is more than the space available for them in the jaw.
- Overbite; this occurs when the upper front teeth cover more of the lower front teeth crown length than normal.
NB; the first 2 scenarios have more to do with your aesthetic value, the last one is the only one that may have some health implications such as trauma to the palate or gum recession of the lower front teeth.
What are some of the various orthodontic treatment options available for my front upper teeth?
Depending on the severity of the underlying jaw discrepancy, occasionally a combination of braces and jaw surgery may be required, However, majority of the times the problem can be sorted with braces.
- Metal braces; metal braces are the traditional braces that we grew up seeing; made of stainless steel, and fastened with thin wires. These braces are super effective, affordable, but most patients avoid them because they are noticeable, and attract much unwanted attention.
- Clear braces; clear braces are also used to treat problems on the front upper teeth. They are made of ceramic materials. They are less noticeable, easier to accept, and greatly enhance your looks.
- Invisalign braces; Invisalign aligners are made of plastic, and are replaced after every 14 days. They are very hard to notice and one can wear them anywhere such as in the office, in public transport systems, and someone sitting next to you would hardly notice them.
- Lingual braces; lingual braces are worn on the inner side of your front upper teeth. These are commonly used when a patient has a protrusion problem with their front teeth. They are one of the more discrete braces available.
NB; in yester years, orthodontists would selectively extract crowded teeth, in order to enhance the looks of the patient. But nowadays, they opt for more non-extraction procedures that are highly effective.
Conclusion;
Don’t let any problem on your upper front teeth hinder your self-esteem or quality of life. There are numerous orthodontic treatment options readily available to help you out.