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In a world where social media reigns supreme, a selfie phenomenon has occurred, where people of all ages are constantly taking selfies to post onto their numerous social media accounts in search of likes and comments. Smartphones have long catered to this phenomenon by providing reversible camera lenses on their phones.

Straight Teeth: More Important Than Ever

With the selfie revolution, having straight teeth has become more important than ever. People are looking to achieve a great smile because they understand the attractiveness and pulling power of a warm, endearing smile. In addition, they understand that a great smile is great bait when it comes to fishing for comments and likes.

Centra Dental in southwest Houston is committed to giving you a perfect selfie smile. We understand that without a perfect smile, there is no perfect selfie.

Two Dental Braces Options

There is no greater antagonist to a great smile than crooked teeth, as they can be unsightly and distracting. Thankfully, our Houston dental office can easily rectify this issue. We offer two options to straighten your teeth: traditional metal braces or Invisalign clear plastic trays.

Traditional Metal Braces

Centra Dental offers 3M metal braces that permanently fix to your teeth for the entire duration of your treatment plan. While some may find this cumbersome, the advantage of traditional metal braces is that they work round the clock at straightening your teeth. Therefore, as you wear the braces, you can be sure that they are working 24/7.

Invisalign Clear Braces

Invisalign clear braces is another option offered at our southwest Houston dental office. Invisalign clear braces are clear plastic tray aligners specifically molded to fit your teeth. These clear plastic trays are virtually unnoticeable, thus allowing wearers to smile more confidently. In addition, the clear plastic tray aligners are removable, thus making teeth easier to clean.

Whichever teeth straightening option you choose, Centra Dental is your source for Houston braces. As we are in the midst of a selfie revolution, our Houston dental office understands the power of social media, and how important having a great smile is. Contct our southwest Houston office today, and let use get you on your way to that perfect selfie smile!

Braces are often solely viewed as a cosmetic dentistry method to improve one’s appearance. A great smile leads to feeling good about your appearance and greater self-confidence. As important as appearance may be, however, what is often overlooked are the many health benefits of braces. Let’s take a look at a few of them:

Braces Lead to a Healthy Mouth

In addition to the obvious cosmetic improvement of your teeth and smile, straighter teeth are easier to clean, hence better periodontal health. Crooked or gapped teeth make properly brushing and cleaning more difficult, resulting in cavities and tooth loss. In addition, misaligned or crowded teeth make flossing difficult. When teeth are not properly flossed, periodontal disease is likely to manifest.

Braces from Centra Dental in southwest Houston resolves these issues by aligning and spacing teeth out properly. Dental maintenance is greatly improved because brushing, cleaning, and flossing become easier. The result is a clean, healthy mouth.

Braces Correct Jaw Issues

Misaligned teeth cause an improper bite that can lead to jaw issues such as temporomandibular (TMJ) disorders. TMJ disorders affect the muscles and joints surrounding the jaw, often causing headaches and pain around the face and ears. People suffering from TMJ disorders may also experience dizziness and a ringing in their ears.

TMJ disorders often make biting and chewing difficult. This can lead to improper digestion and increasing the chance of large chunks of food getting caught in the teeth and gums, thus leading to bad breath and gum disease.

Braces from our Houston dentists will move your teeth back into their correct position. Once this happens, the TMJ will shift back to its proper alignment, thus relieving you of your symptoms. In addition, you will be able to bite, chew, and even speak better.

Contact Centra Dental for Your Braces Consultation

Our greatest concern at Centra Dental is your overall health. Obviously, a great smile is an added bonus. Straight teeth greatly contribute to both of these things, so contact our office in southwest Houston today for a braces consultation. Let us help give you a great smile and better oral health!

Kids can need braces for a variety of reasons. These often include: crooked teeth, overlapping or overcrowded teeth, or a "bad bite" (malocclusion). Malocclusion refers to when the top and bottom jaws are different sizes, resulting in uneven contact between the upper and lower teeth. As a result, overbites and underbites occur. An overbite is when the upper jaw is larger than the lower jaw, while an underbite is when the lower jaw is larger than the upper jaw.

Sometimes losing baby teeth too soon or practicing bad habits like thumb sucking can also lead to tooth and jaw problems. However, tooth and jaw problems are also often inherited. If you or someone in your family have tooth or jaw issues, it is likely that your kid will as well. When left untreated, issues such as low self-esteem, periodontal disease, and improper digestion can occur.

When to Check If Your Kid Needs Braces

There is no exact age for when a child should see an orthodontist for the first time. Some kids go as early as 6, while some go when they are teens. With the popularity of Invisalign clear braces, even adults are now seeing an orthodontist more than ever.

Many orthodontists believe a good time to start seeing an orthodontist is around the age of 7, as this is normally when their permanent teeth start coming in. Once your child’s permanent teeth start coming in, issues such as uneven bite and overcrowding will become apparent. Starting the process early doesn't mean a child will get braces right away. It just means the orthodontist will be able to find problems and decide the best time to start treatment.

Get Your Kid Checked for Braces at Our Southwest Houston Dental Office

Centra Dental is ready to resolve your child’s tooth and jaw issues through the use of 3M metal braces. When you bring your child to our southwest Houston office for a regular visit, our dentists will often be the first to notice any orthodontic issues your child may have. If the dentist feels there are issues that need to be addressed, your child will then see one of our expert orthodontists. The orthodontist will carefully examine your child’s teeth and determine whether or not kids braces are needed.

Centra Dental is committed to giving your child a healthy mouth and great smile. As providers of great dental and orthodontic services, our Houston dentists are ready to help. So contact our southwest Houston office today to book an appointment.

Some people think of braces as an extravagant expense, but at our southwest Houston dental clinic we have worked to ensure that just about everyone can afford braces. With 3M metal braces starting at less than $2,000 and with flexible payment plans, Centra Dental offers top-of-the-line affordable braces.

Braces have become a necessity for many people who suffer from severely gapped, misaligned, or crooked teeth. When braces are applied, teeth are able to straighten conform to correct alignment, which makes it easier for patients to chew, speak, and maintain their oral health, like brushing and flossing. At Centra Dental, we are always concerned about the health of our patients’ teeth and overall oral health.

USING DENTAL INSURANCE FOR BRACES

If teeth are severely misaligned or gapped and are causing health concerns, quite often the dental insurance plan will cover either the entire braces treatment or a large portion of it. If you have dental insurance and are struggling with the misalignment or gaps in your teeth, then you should consider applying your dental benefits to an orthodontics treatment.

Our southwest Houston dental clinic accepts most dental insurance plans. We also accept Care Credit. Our primary initiative is to help you obtain the necessary dental procedures to keep your oral health in pristine shape. This is why we work with every patient, regardless of their budget constraints. Customizing our customer care is just part of what makes Centra Dental a fantastic dental clinic.

METAL OR INVISALIGN CHOICE

For patients who are ready to receive their orthodontics treatment, we offer 3M metal braces and Invisalign braces. Invisalign are clear plastic tray aligners that make wearing braces practically unnoticeable.

Ready to get your smile looking straight and beautiful? Contact Centra Dental today and schedule your orthodontics appointment. We will place you on an ortho plan that will have you smiling.