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Q: Why is it important that my teeth line up properly?
In addition to having the benefit of a beautiful smile, the main reason for having your teeth in perfect alignment is to have them function properly as the machinery for nutrition. When you bring your jaws together, your teeth meet in a union that's referred to as your bite. When the bite is right, the front teeth will slightly overlap the lowers. The grinding points, or cusps, will line up so that you can chew food efficiently, swallow it and process it correctly. When they don't meet properly, the condition is called malocclusion.
If you have malocclusion, whether it is a cosmetic or functional problem, you have options for treatment. The most common treatment recommendation from your dentist may be orthodontia, or braces, which can gradually-and painlessly-move your teeth into their proper positions. In assessing your bite and any course of action, your dentist may need to take a plaster mold of your teeth. It's a painless procedure that involves your biting into a tray full of soft paste to make a cast of your teeth. Ask your dentist about the ways he can make your bite perfect.
August 17, 2009
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