Orthodontic treatment has been seen by a lot of people as just an aesthetic procedure, solely for the improvement of a person’s smile. Besides correcting a person’s smile, orthodontic treatment is used to rectify several dental problems that most people don’t know about. One prominent problem that can be treated by orthodontics is misaligned or poorly aligned teeth. If a person who has poorly aligned teeth does not treat their dental issue, the effects can be felt in different ways, including speech defects.
The use of Invisalign and other types of braces is a form of orthodontic treatment. We at Chatfield Braces are a trusted provider of invisible braces in Battersea.
Speech problems has an effect on poorly aligned teeth
Poorly aligned teeth cause some common speech problems we notice in people today like speaking with a lisp or mispronouncing certain words that begin with the letter “s” or “t”. In some cases, poorly aligned teeth can cause people to speak with a whistle. For a person to speak properly, the teeth must be perfectly aligned, thereby creating a seal that allows the tongue to sit properly in the mouth and help in proper swallowing of food. When the teeth are not properly aligned like in the case of an overbite, underbite or even a crossbite, the tongue is then used to create the seal instead of the teeth. This places the tongue in the way of the teeth, thereby interfering with the way words are pronounced.
Who is at risk of developing speech problems?
In some cases, speech problems can be hereditary. This means that if you or any close member of your family has a lisp, misaligned teeth or mumble when they speak, there is a greater chance that your children will have the same problem. This is usually not the case most times, as other factors can contribute to speech problems.
The use of pacifiers in children for a longer time in their infancy places them at risk of having speech problems in the future. Furthermore, children who suckle on their thumb and finger beyond the age of 3 are at the risk of affecting the development of their jaw and teeth, leading to speech defects. When a child suckles their thumb beyond the age of three, they elongate their upper jaw, pulling it outwards. This can lead to them having buck teeth or protruding teeth and ultimately speech problems.
Other problems that can arise as a result of orthodontic issues
Speech problems are not the only problem that can arise as a result of orthodontic difficulties. There are other problems like imbalance of joints, muscles, bones and tendons in the head. When there is an imbalance, certain health issues like headache and neck pain become common. Other major dental problems like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder also becomes an issue. The TMJ is the joint responsible for the movement of the lower jaw, allowing you to eat and talk properly.
Through orthodontic treatment, these problems can be corrected through braces, making it easy and smooth for you to speak and eat.
Signs that you have a misaligned teeth
Ideally, when you bite down, your lower and upper teeth should meet together, keeping your tongue seated perfectly inside your mouth. Well-aligned teeth will not interfere with your speech or your eating; neither will it cause pain when you bite on food.
Signs that your teeth are misaligned include the following:
• Some parts of the upper and lower teeth not meeting together when you bite down
• The upper jaw covering the lower jaw when you bite down
• The lower jaw covering the upper jaw when you bite down
• Too much spaces or gaps between teeth
• Problems with flossing due to crowded teeth in one or more parts of the mouth
• Frequently biting the inside of your cheek when eating
Know when to see an orthodontist
If you or anyone close to you is having problems pronouncing words perfectly, or they speak with a lisp, book an appointment with your orthodontist as soon as you can. Additionally, if you or anyone close to you experiences headache or pain in the jaw when eating or not, also make arrangements to see your orthodontist. The orthodontist will conduct a relevant examination to find out if orthodontic treatment would be appropriate for you or not.
Orthodontic treatment
There are different types of treatment you can go for, for the correction of dental flaws. The best option of treatment for adults is the use of invisible braces or other types of adult braces. In the case of children, treatment can also be adopted through braces. The benefit associated with orthodontic treatment of children is that their growth spurt helps in guiding the treatment.
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