Our Guide to Preventing and Treating Crooked Teeth

Crooked teeth may seem like an aesthetic problem, yet in reality, it can even cause other dental issues, such as pain in your jaw joint. The jaw is designed to have teeth that properly align against each other. When a tooth or a set of teeth is crooked, it can have significant effects on the teeth alignment and jaw.

Sometimes, crooked teeth are caused by genetics, meaning that it’s nearly unavoidable. However, know that you can still get crooked teeth from other causes, such as:

• Thumb sucking - most common in children, thumb-sucking can take a serious toll on their teeth because the habit can pull the teeth forward and be out of alignment. It is also the leading cause behind “buck teeth.”
• Tongue pressing against teeth - this is another habit that repeatedly presses the tongue against the teeth and pushes the teeth out of alignment. Keep in mind that the tongue is a muscle, which means that it has the strength to do this.
• Extra or not enough teeth - an average person has 32 teeth. However, an extra tooth or teeth can cause alignment issues, which may result in crooked teeth. The same applies when you don’t have enough teeth.
• Jaw size - the size of the jaw may also cause crooked teeth, particularly if it’s too small. If the jaw is too small, average adult teeth will have a hard time growing into proper alignment.

What to Do With Crooked Teeth

Traditional braces are typically the best solution to crooked teeth. The good news is that if you don’t want metal sticking out of your mouth, you can opt for Invisalign aligners. However, keep in mind that certain qualifications need to be checked before a patient gets this treatment because not everyone can have it.

Invisalign works similar to traditional braces, but instead of the metal pieces and how it is applied, it comes as clear trays that work like retainers. You can even take it out and put it back in without hassle. The rule of thumb is that you need to have the aligner on for 22 hours per day.

How to Prevent It

If the reason behind the crooked teeth is genetics, then it might be much harder for you to remedy the situation. However, if the cause is any of the ones listed above, some are actually preventable, such as thumb-sucking. If you notice that your child loves to do it from a young age, try to find other ways that they can do to self-soothe. Thumb sucking is actually a self-soothing method, but despite its cuteness, it can get cause and bring dental issues.

On the other hand, if your crooked teeth are a result of jaw issues, missing or extra teeth, be sure to talk to your dentist on how you can address the issue. Usually, your dentist will recommend dental implants or tooth extraction to put your teeth’s alignment back to place.

Conclusion

Before you disregard crooked teeth just because it doesn’t seem like it has detrimental effects on your oral health, you might want to think again. Many dental issues can potentially turn into something severe when you do not treat crooked teeth. The best way to do so is to prevent them from happening, especially if you have kids who have developed unhealthy habits to soothe themselves from a young age.

If you are facing a case of crooked teeth, be sure to visit a reputable local dentist in Ann Arbor. At Dental House, we go the extra mile to provide an environment that is personable and welcoming. Visit our website or get in touch with us today to receive 25% off all dental services!