With the help of advancing technology, dentistry has evolved immensely. Be it painless syringes or using blue light to detect oral cancer during regular appointments, dentistry has come a long way in treating daily tooth problems. One such wonderful creation in this field is dental aligners. Using dental aligners to straighten your teeth is not only good for your smile but also great for your dental health. They work by gradually moving your teeth into the correct position, creating a perfect smile.

According to Dr Shweta Mathur, a dentist associated with Apollo 24|7, ”there is nothing more beautiful than a confident smile. Aligners aptly fit over the dentition to bring about the movement of teeth, thereby providing a wonderful alternative to braces. With the help of a digital scan, the aligners are customized for every patient, ensuring a painless solution to the problem of crooked dentition.”

Here are the top benefits of opting for dental aligners for your teeth. 

1. Improves Bite

When the jaws don't properly align with each other, you tend to bite in the wrong position. Medically called malocclusion, the misalignment of jaws can lead to some adverse dental health consequences like jaw pain, tooth attrition, and fracture. Dental aligners can considerably help in treating various kinds of malocclusion by gradually repositioning the teeth in your jawbone. 

2. Better Oral Hygiene

It's considerably easier for plaque to get unnoticed when the teeth are crooked. Over time, this can result in bad breath, calculus (a calcified form of plaque) deposition, and cavities. Dental aligners help in improving oral hygiene as they straighten your teeth, making them easier to clean. One of the major advantages of opting for dental aligners is that they are removable. This enables you to maintain your oral hygiene by flossing and brushing like you normally would throughout treatment.

3. Healthy Gums

Another major problem caused by misaligned or crooked teeth is that they make you more susceptible to developing gum diseases, such as gingivitis, and periodontitis. A few common signs of gum disease include:

• Inflamed, swollen gums
• Easy gum bleeding
• Receding gums
• Chronic bad breath
• Mobile teeth 

Using dental aligners to straighten your teeth makes you less prone to gum diseases. 

4. Easy Mastication

While your stomach is largely responsible for digestion, it is hampered if the food isn’t chewed well. People with malaligned teeth, find it difficult to chew as their teeth can’t make proper contact. This can cause various digestive problems, nutritional deficiencies, and overall poor health. 

5. Resolves Speech Issues

Poor teeth positioning can lead to speech impairments like slurred speech, lisping, trouble pronouncing certain sounds, and whistling sounds while speaking. Straightening your teeth with dental aligners can help resolve such issues.

The invention of dental aligners has made the process of teeth straightening much easier and more comfortable than ever. If you wish to get dental aligners, 

Consult Dr Shweta Mathur

FAQs

Q. Are teeth aligners a better alternative to metal braces?

Clear dental aligners are more beneficial than conventional metal braces as they are more comfortable and less visible than the latter. Also, they can be easily removed as and when needed. 

Q. What are the disadvantages of aligners?

Dental aligners require you to be extra careful with your oral hygiene routine. They must be washed thoroughly before reinserting. 

Q. How do I know if I need aligners?

People with visibly crowded or crooked teeth, frequent biting of the tongue, and difficulty flossing between teeth can go for aligners.

Q. Do aligners fix teeth permanently?

Yes, dental aligners offer permanent results if you follow your dentist’s instructions religiously. 

Q. What happens if I stop wearing my aligners?

If you forget to wear dental aligners, then your teeth will start to go back to the way they were, preventing proper fitting of aligners. In such cases, you must consult your dentist to get the treatment back on track.

Consult Dr Shweta Mathur

Medically reviewed by Dr Sonia Bhatt.