Beyond Braces: Exploring Alternative Orthodontic Treatments

Are there really ways to straighten your teeth naturally?

There are few; and it depends on the cause of the misalignment or tooth movement, severity and age. One that you may not have heard of, is myofunctional therapy – specifically, orofacial.

It’s a treatment option that in very basic terms, is a rehabilitation of the mouth, through a personalised plan by an orofacial myologist (myology being the study of the structure, function and diseases of the muscular system). An activity and exercise regimen targets strengthening the tongue, repositioning its placement and resting position, and focusing on the facial muscles used for chewing and swallowing.

Certification is open only to undergraduates of a medical or dental profession or qualified speech pathologists; being that it’s a modality for existing health professionals to apply within their chosen field of practice.

Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) are interferences in normal oral and facial musculature impacting the growth, development or function of orofacial structures. They can occur at anytime in a person’s life.

Poor latching during breast or bottle feeding in infancy can be a symptom; along with a baby showing difficulties with suck-swallow-breathe coordination. There may also be tongue protrusion past the lower lip – which is something not limited to babies and can signify problematic jaw irregularity. Children, teenagers and adults can suffer OMDs that can coexist with various speech and swallowing disorders. They can be the result of a singular, or combined aspect of genetics, physiological and structural variables, learned behaviours and environment.

Orofacial myology is a technique that addresses a number of issues. As well as general body posture, they can be in relation to a high or narrow palate, open bite, overbite or underbite; tongue posture, thrust and reduced range of motion; gagging, drooling and limited oral control; lip or tongue tie and poor clarity of speech.

These types of complications impact the development and placement of the teeth.

It’s also a treatment option for orofacial pain and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ/TMD). Symptoms include pain or discomfort in and around the ears, one or both joints of the jaw, and discomfort in the neck, facial muscles and temples. It can sometimes produce a locking, popping, clicking or grating that limits jaw movement, produces headaches, and challenges the ability to properly chew and swallow food.

Of the 20-30% of the global population affected by TMD, it generally manifests between the ages of 20 and 40. More commonly suffered by women than men, it can change the way that the upper and lower teeth fit together, and shift other teeth.

For children between the ages of two and six, orofacial myology can be used as a pre-orthodontic to widen the jaw and correct the bite. It may negate the need for tooth extractions because of dental crowding, and avoid the possibility of orthodontics at a later age.

Whether or not you can straighten teeth naturally at home is a bit of a loaded question.

Primarily, there has to be the differentiation between children – whose bones are still growing – and adults, who clearly, are past this stage in life.

Hand-in-hand with genetics, nasal breathing with lips together – even while sleeping – the tongue always resting on the roof of the mouth, and the lips generally positioned as closed and relaxed, are the basis for having naturally straight teeth.

For children, issues like open-mouthed breathing, being tongue-tied, or pulling their lips inward, are all negative traits that are evident prior to having all their permanent teeth. Each can cause improper development of the jaw and the teeth to crowd.

Correcting these habits as the child grows can create the preferred oral environment for the teeth to align.

From as early as three years of age, there are intra-oral devices available, designed for children to wear for an hour a day. Along with a patient program of tongue postures, and mouth and breathing exercises, there is the opportunity to permanently readjust the underlying causes of poor myofunctional styles, and improve their oral health overall.

Of course with more dense, less flexible oral bone, the same type of changes simply can’t happen to the same degree in adulthood.

Depending on the severity of the misalignment, very minor, very subtle, very slow adjustments can sometimes be achieved. Because teeth always respond to forces (like misplaced tongue positioning, jaw clenching and not sleeping with the mouth closed) rectifying these causes can help not exacerbate the problem, but it’s unlikely that teeth will be straightened without the expertise of an orthodontist.

With orofacial myology, the intention of regular exercises is not to potentially change the position of the teeth, but to break the habits that have culminated into the dental discomfort and misalignment.

For most orthodontic issues, there is always a much better result with either invisible, ceramic, lingual or metal braces.

Only the skill of an orthodontist ensures that teeth fit together in the way they should. Years of study, experience and the use of ever-evolving dental technologies is what qualifies them in achieving the desired outcome: a proper bite and beautifully straight teeth, without the later failings of gum damage and tooth movement that can occur with lesser treatments.

Presently, the only real alternative to orthodontics is scooping the genetic pool, good nutrition and health, active, proficient and ongoing oral hygiene from an early age, regular dental appointments, and never being hit in the mouth with anything harder than the lips of someone you love.

With breakthroughs in regenerative dentistry and biomimetics, it’s very possible that one day there will be other ways to gain the perfectly straight teeth only 35% of all the people in the world are born with. Until then, if you’re putting your money where your mouth is, there’s no better bet than with an orthodontist.

Note: All content and media on the  Sunbury Dental House website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.