How Do You Fix Crooked Teeth?
Crooked teeth are an extremely common occurrence, but may not be the most aesthetically pleasing when you smile. This could lead some people to self-esteem issues. In reality, everybody should be comfortable showing their teeth. This problem is not mutually exclusive and is seen in kids, adults, women, and men. Luckily, there are ways to fix crooked teeth. Glendora Family Dentistry wants to help you get the teeth you’ve always wanted, that will make you feel confident when you smile.
What Causes Crooked Teeth
There are many reasons why teeth may grow in misaligned. The most common is that the teeth are either too crowded or too small for the gum spaces they fill. This common problem is often genetic.
There has been some correlation between jaw size and crooked teeth as well. The smaller the jaw size, the more likely the teeth will grow in crooked.
Habitual tendencies can also have a negative effect on the shape of your teeth. This includes sucking, tongue thrusting or breathing through your mouth. An overbite and underbite can also contribute because the teeth are not aligned the way they are meant to in the mouth.
Dental disease can be a factor for crooked teeth too. This is why proper dental care and diet are so important.
Finally, trauma to the face can misalign the teeth. To learn more about how to fix crooked teeth and keeping dental disease at bay, get in touch with the Glendora Family Dentist team today. We are here to help!
Why Crooked Teeth are a Problem
Crooked teeth don’t only affect your confidence and appearance. They can lead to more serious physical problems. Periodontal disease is one of the most common consequences because crooked teeth make it harder to properly care for your teeth. Plaque and bacteria can accumulate more and cause tooth decay. The inability to chew your food thoroughly can also lead to digestion problems. Chronic jaw pain may become an issue because of excessive movement required to chew with crooked teeth.
In some severe cases, those with crooked teeth may also have a speech impediment. Remember, crooked teeth are very common and don’t necessarily lead to any of these outcomes. But there is always an option to fix crooked teeth. Glendora Family Dentistry wants to make sure that your dental, physical, and mental health is positive. Straightening your teeth may not be necessary, but it could help in the long run.
How do You Fix Crooked Teeth?
There are many things you can do to be preemptive about crooked teeth. Staying away from any habits that may harm your teeth, protecting your face in full-contact sports, and cleaning your teeth regularly is helpful. However, a lot of the time, crooked teeth develop even after our best efforts to prevent it. The main way to fix crooked teeth is with orthodontics, which is a dental specialty in moving the teeth around. Ultimately, moving the teeth straight is a surefire way to fix crooked teeth. The amount of time this will take depends on the method and patient, so everyone’s outcome is a little bit different. There are three main orthodontic braces to help straighten teeth.
The first option is the traditional metal braces. This is the option you see mostly on kids and teens. This option is typically the cheapest because the braces are completely visible and stand out when you smile. They are also necessary for extreme cases of straightening.
The second option is the clear braces. Many adults choose this option because of social situations they may find themselves in that could be awkward or uncomfortable with metal braces. These braces are clear trays that can be removed at any time for when you eat. The downside to this option is that it won’t work for severe cases, and is not fully invisible. Clear braces can be a bit pricier than metal braces, but not as pricy as the third option, which is lingual braces. All the bracing is placed behind the teeth when using lingual braces, so they are completely invisible to others. Although this helps with visibility, it does offer some other troubles. This can cause users to speak with a lisp, and crunchy foods have to be avoided altogether. The silver lining is that this option has a much quicker treatment time.
