I Can’t Bite Down on Food, Do I Need Braces?

Struggling to Bite down on your food or experiencing pain every time you do can really take the enjoyment out of a delicious meal. The good news is that dentists have several options to help you relieve the pain or discomfort, allowing you to enjoy your food more than ever. One of the most versatile options is Invisalign. 

Any kind of misaligned teeth can affect your dental and physical health. Suffering from an open bite, where either your front teeth or your back teeth do not meet, can make you self-conscious about your appearance as well as change your eating habits. 

In addition, an open bite can damage your teeth, if it remains uncorrected. The damage happens because the open bite puts unusual stress on your teeth. The pressure of biting when your front teeth are not touching could cause teeth to chip. Back teeth that do not touch could be ground down when you are chewing. As a result, the enamel layer could become weaker, increasing the risk of cavities.

Getting professional treatment to close your open bite can improve your physical and mental health symptoms. The good news is that you do not necessarily need to wear braces. Invisalign treatment is an excellent alternative that is painless and easier to manage than metal braces.

Following a professional assessment of your teeth, your dentist will create a series of transparent (invisible), removable aligners that gradually shape and strengthen your teeth. There are no unsightly brackets or wires, and you do not need to deal with any of the restrictions that generally come with wearing braces. 

When you choose Invisalign treatment with our team, you will notice the difference right from the beginning. Rather than using traditional, sticky molds to make your aligners, we rely on digital scanning. Apart from being more comfortable for you, this method also prevents errors and saves time.

The length of Invisalign treatment depends on how much realigning is needed. Once you are happy with your bite, we recommend wearing retainers for at least some more time to stop your teeth from moving back to their earlier positions. Most people notice changes after a few weeks, but as our smile makeover process is unique to many patients, your precise timeline depends on your specific case.

With a little patience and the right professional support, Invisalign results can be beautiful and long-lasting. For more information, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment and visit our office. We serve Los Angeles, Thousand Oaks, Santa Monica, and other cities across Southern California.