If you haven't been happy with the appearance of your smile for a while, then you may want to consider looking for an orthodontist. There are various options available to you to help make your smile appear the way that you want it to. Orthodontists can also help with other issues that may be troubling you and help you feel really good about how your mouth looks and feels. There are a few specific ways someone specialized in orthodontics can help you look and feel your best.

Options for Straightening a Smile

Orthodontists help people straighten crooked or bunched up teeth. Using braces, they can do this in as little as a few months for some situations. Now, there are a few other effective ways to straighten as well. If you are not interested in having braces for several months or a year, there are straightening aligners that work just as effectively. Your orthodontist will perform a scan of your mouth to help create the perfect aligners for your straightening needs. These digital scans are incredibly precise. Aligners are great for people who want to be able to take their straighteners off at different times. Another option for your teeth might be a retainer, which helps with teeth that expand outward. Retainers are also flexible as far as being able to remove them.

Jaw Pain and Jaw Health Concerns

With poor teeth alignment, there can develop issues in the jaw. Sometimes, simply having an orthodontist straighten your teeth with braces or other means will fix jaw pain. If you are having jaw pain, your orthodontist can examine you for issues like TMJ, which is an issue with the jaw joints. He may also look at other degenerative issues that could be developing due to dental disease. Many of the most common jaw issues are treatable. Waiting too long to go in could cause you to lose teeth or risk some diseases to spread. 

Orthodontists also help with a variety of other cosmetic and health procedures. For serious jaw problems, oral surgery can be performed to make your jaw more shapely. Surgery may also be used to shift your jaw into a better position. Whatever your straightening needs, the orthodontist is the best place to start for all of your options. If you can have the smile of your dreams and less pain in your jaw, then it's worth having any needed orthodontic procedure done.