By Elara Orthodontics A misaligned jaw can harm your quality of life by impacting your eating, chewing, and speaking. You may be tempted to live with the problem or just ignore it. However, there is a solution: braces. Braces will realign (or fix) your jaw. The question is, how do you fix a misaligned jaw with braces? This blog will give you an overview of aligning the jaw with braces.
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What Is a Misaligned Jaw?
A misaligned jaw is a condition in which the mandible (the lower jawbone) is not correctly positioned. The result of this misalignment is that the teeth cannot function properly, causing pain and discomfort for the patient needing one to fix a misaligned jaw.
What Causes Misalignment of the Jaw?
Misalignment of the jaw can be caused by different factors, some of which are dental.
Tumors
Jaw tumors are rare but can cause misalignment of your jawbone. These tumors usually develop on the roof of the mouth or temporal bone around the ear region, but they can also form on other parts of the head and neck region. A tumor that develops near or on the jawbone may push it out of position, causing misalignment of your teeth, resulting in one to fix a misaligned jaw.
Genetics
Jaw misalignment is hereditary, meaning it can be passed down from your parents to you. If one or both of your parents have an off-center bite, you are more likely to develop one, causing you to fix a misaligned jaw. This is because your jaws are formed during pregnancy and growth in the womb. If one side of your jaw grows faster than the other, then there will be an imbalance when they meet at the midline of your face.
Cleft Lip/Palate
Children with cleft lip and/or palate may have misaligned jaws as part of their condition. This is because the jawbone is separated at birth during the development of these conditions, which causes the two sides of the jaw to grow unevenly around the teeth.
Bruxism
Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Teeth grinding has no known cause, but many people often find it when stressed or tired. It can occur during sleep or while awake.
The teeth are designed to work together as a complete unit, not just as individual teeth. When you grind your teeth, you can wear down the sides of your teeth and damage the roots. This can lead to pain and infection in the gums. Grinding also puts excessive pressure on the muscles and joints in your jaw, leading to headaches, neck pain, and soreness in the face and shoulders. To avoid one should fix a misaligned jaw.
In severe cases, bruxism may cause misalignment of the jaws (malocclusion), making it difficult for you to chew food properly (malnutrition) if the victim does not fix a misaligned jaw.
Trauma to the face
Trauma to the face can lead to misalignment of the teeth and jaws because it alters their position relative to one another. This can cause one or more teeth to move out of alignment with other teeth in your mouth. The result is needing to fix a misaligned jaw, pain, and discomfort when chewing foods that require you to use your back molars — such as nuts or hard candy — or when biting into ice cream cones or sandwiches with soft bread like buns or bagels.
Tongue Tie
A tongue tie occurs when a section of tissue under the tongue restricts its movement and prevents it from protruding from the mouth fully. This can cause the lower jaw to be pushed forward, which in turn causes an overbite or underbite.
What Are Some Symptoms of a Misaligned Jaw?
When your jaw misaligns, it can cause many symptoms throughout your body. Because of this, it is important to fix a misaligned jaw. Below are some common changes that you may notice when you have a misaligned jaw:
Pain in the Jaw and Around the Ears
Pain in the jaw and around the ears is a common symptom of an untreated misaligned jaw. It can be felt when chewing on one side of your mouth or when you try to open your mouth wide or yawn. The pain usually gets worse as you get older, but it’s not just limited to older people; children can also suffer from this problem which will need them to fix a misaligned jaw.
Feeling That Your Jaw Is “Locked”
If you do not fix a misaligned jaw, it makes it difficult to open or close your mouth normally, so you might eat less than usual because chewing becomes too painful. It also makes talking difficult because you’ll have to open your mouth wider than normal when speaking, making you sound like you’re speaking through clenched teeth. If you experience this symptom, it’s advisable to see a dentist right away so he can assess whether there’s any damage to your teeth or joints caused by an untreated misaligned jaw that may require one to fix a misaligned jaw.
A Popping or Clicking Sound When You Open or Close Your Mouth
If you have this symptom, it could mean that your lower jaw is misaligned and needs to fix a misaligned jaw. The joint in the back of your lower jaw may not be sitting properly, causing the joint to shift slightly. This can cause the bones to rub against one another, causing a pop or click sound. The symptom may appear after eating or chewing and may go away after a few minutes.
Migraines
Migraines are often associated with TMJ disorder because they are both caused by muscle tension. The muscles in your head and face are overworked, causing pain in your neck and jaw. When these muscles become tighter due to stress or poor posture, they become more susceptible to injury and inflammation and may do one search on how to fix your jaw alignment. Migraines can also be brought on by chewing gum or biting your nails, needing to fix a misaligned jaw.
Neck Pain or Stiffness
Neck pain is another common symptom of TMJ disorder because it’s caused by stress on the muscles that support your head and neck muscles (cervical spine). Jaw misalignment can cause tension in these areas and headaches and earaches caused by jaw grinding during sleep, which may need to fix a misaligned jaw.
Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus)
In many cases, misalignment of the jaw can cause ringing in the ears. This is a symptom that many people experience when they have jaw problems resulting to fix a misaligned jaw, although it is not always present. This is because the jaw is connected to several other parts of the body, including the ear. If there are problems with your jaw alignment, it may cause pain and pressure on these areas, which can cause ringing in your ears; thus, you should fix a misaligned jaw.
Pain During or After Chewing
If you do not fix a misaligned jaw and continue to chew with it, you may experience pain during or after eating. This condition can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that lasts for an extended period after eating. In some cases, people can experience both types of pain: severe discomfort during chewing and severe pain after eating when their jaws are relaxed again. That is why you treat jaw misalignment.
Pain in the Jaw Joints
If you do not fix a misaligned jaw, it may also cause pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the lower jawbone to the skull and allows you to move your lower jaw from side to side. The TMJ can become inflamed if you clench your teeth for long periods, such as when you’re concentrating on something else and needing one to treat jaw misalignment.
Which Types of Braces Work Best on Jaw Deformities?
A jaw misalignment is a problem for many people. Many people ask can braces fix a crooked jaw? After all, this disorder has different characteristics compared to other conditions. This is why it has its name and even its type of treatment when one needs to fix a misaligned jaw. Yes, there are specific treatments your dentist can follow when they fix a misaligned jaw to prevent issues in the future. Braces are one of the treatment options.
Lingual Braces
These types of braces are usually used to fix jaw alignment. They are typically made out of metal wires attached to the teeth and then connected with brackets on the outside of each tooth. This allows the dentist to pull down the wire with pliers as needed to move the teeth into place and properly fix a misaligned jaw.
The main advantage of using lingual braces is that they do not interfere with your speech or confidence level at all because they are completely hidden from view by your tongue, lips, cheeks, and gums instead of being visible on top or underneath your teeth like other types of braces tend to be.
Invisalign
Invisalign is a clear plastic aligner used to fix jaw alignment without metal brackets and wires. Invisalign works by gradually moving your teeth into place using custom-made trays worn over your teeth for 20 to 22 hours a day. The trays move your teeth by applying gentle pressure in tiny increments over time. The entire treatment process can take anywhere from six months to two years, depending on your case’s severity.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are made from a hard ceramic material that has been polished to resemble real tooth enamel. These braces are more durable than other types of braces and can be used to treat mild to moderate cases of misalignment. They work by placing brackets on the front surface of each tooth and behind it to gently move it into place during treatment. This process usually lasts depending on the severity of your condition, and how long treatment takes depends on how difficult it is for the practitioner to get the best misaligned jaw before and after results.
Traditional Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces align the teeth by moving them into position with small brackets bonded to the teeth. The wires then move the teeth in the desired direction, and one can notice the change in a misaligned jaw before and after wearing them. This brace is a very effective misaligned jaw treatment for patients with minor orthodontic problems such as crowding or spacing issues. The process takes around 18 months to complete and involves regular check-ups to monitor progress and ensure the wire is moving your teeth in the right direction. It can be uncomfortable sometimes, but most patients adapt quickly to having them on their teeth.
How Much Do Braces Cost?
Many factors go into determining the cost of braces near me. The type of braces you get, your child’s age for misaligned jaw treatment, the severity of their case, and your geographical location and local market conditions are just a few examples.
The Type of Braces You Get
The type of braces to realign jaw you choose will directly affect the price. The three major types are traditional metal brackets, clear plastic aligners, and ceramic brackets. Traditional metal brackets are probably the most common choice of braces for jaw alignment for adults and children alike. They’re durable and more affordable than other options, but they require frequent adjustments from a dentist or the best orthodontist near me — which can be costly over time.
Clear plastic aligners are less expensive than metal brackets but can be more difficult to adjust because they must be removed before adjustments can be made or replaced if broken or lost. Ceramic brackets cost even more than clear plastic aligners but last longer without needing replacement. You should search for the best orthodontist near me when looking for braces.
Your Child’s Age
Your child’s age will also affect how much it costs to get braces to realign jaw installed on their teeth by Aliana best orthodontist. The younger they are when treatment begins, the less time it will take for them to get their straight teeth back — which means less money spent overall on braces for jaw alignment.
The Severity of Their Case
The severity of your case will play a large role in determining whether can braces fix a crooked jaw, how long you’ll need to wear braces, and how much they’ll cost you to pay an Orthodontist in Richmond. If you have severe crowding or other teeth issues, it will take longer to straighten them out and require more appointments with orthodontics for jaw alignment. In addition, some cases are more complex than others, which can also affect the cost of braces near me.
Your Geographical Location and Local Market Conditions
Geographical location and local market conditions also influence how much you will pay for braces at Aliana best orthodontist. In some areas of the country, there are cheaper places to get treatment; however, if you live in a major city or metropolitan area, it may be more expensive for you to obtain treatment due to higher rents/salaries where these orthodontics for jaw alignment reside.
In conclusion, a misaligned jaw can lead to dental problems. That’s why you need to take action. The longer you wait, the worse the outcome will be. You should act now and Hire a dentist specializing in jaw issues because he or she will make moldings of your teeth and provide you with an accurate diagnosis. Ultimately, you want to contact Elara orthodontics since it offers services that can effectively treat your misaligned jaw with braces.