You may have never heard of malocclusion, but it is just a fancy term for crooked teeth.
Crooked teeth can have a diverse effect on self-esteem, and teeth not lining up correctly can even cause problems with eating and speaking in severe cases. Very few people have perfectly aligned teeth, so there are ways to help improve the alignment of your teeth and jaw line.
Are you looking to straighten out your crooked teeth? Learn what your options are, in our blog.
Causes of Crooked Teeth
The shape or sizes of your teeth play a huge role in how everything aligns together in your mouth. If you have too much or too little room in your jaw, you are probably going to have various issues with crooked teeth. A Small jaw in a child means that the teeth may grow in crowded or crooked, and thumb-sucking can also cause issues with crooked teeth. A lot of this just has to do with genetics, however, so don’t be too hard on yourself if everything doesn’t line up perfectly. Realize that you do have options available to fix any issues you are unhappy with, and you won’t have to live with crooked teeth if you choose not to.
Symptoms of Crooked Teeth
Crooked teeth tend to stick out, so it is a fairly noticeable sign. Aside from teeth sticking out, people can have buck teeth or an underbite. Buck teeth consist of the upper front teeth pushed outwards, while an underbite occurs when the lower front teeth are farther forward than the upper front teeth. Once again, a lot of this is just genetics.
Orthodontic Treatments
Orthodontic treatments help to correct the alignment of your teeth and jawline. Orthodontists (specially trained dentists) use different tools and techniques to move the teeth, and sometimes the jaw will need to be moved into a certain position. You may just think that you want braces, but make sure you discuss all your options with your dentist and are open to different ideas. Discuss the pros and cons of different treatment method and then make a decision about what is going to work best for you. Fixing crooked teeth may not always be related to improving dental health, but it can really help to improve your mental well being.
If you want to improve your crooked teeth, let a professional and experienced team help you.
Call Olney Dental at (301) 250-1057 or contact us online for an appointment. And don’t forget to visit Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube to connect with us on social media.