Crooked Teeth: Causes, Risks, and Treatment

GSD-Crooked-Teeth-Causes-Risks-Treatment-Invisalign-BlogCrooked teeth may effect not just your appearance, but also the quality of your life. Crowded, twisted or overlapped teeth may interfere with your chewing ability, can cause extensive wear to your teeth, and can be hard to clean. This can lead to tooth decay, cracked teeth, chronic headaches, and other health problems. This blog examines the causes, risks, and treatment options for crooked teeth.
 

Causes

There are several reasons your teeth may grow in crooked. Some of these causes include:
 
  • Genetics, such as inheriting a small mouth or a misaligned jaw, is the most frequent cause of crooked teeth.
  • Injury, such as a hit to the face, can lead to displacement of teeth.
  • Illness, like osteoporosis that leads to deterioration of bone supporting the teeth and autoimmune disorders that hinder saliva production, can result in tooth loss. Your remaining teeth will then shift over time to make up for the lost space.
  • Bad habits, like thumb-sucking, tongue thrusting, mouth breathing or extensive use of a pacifier, can lead to crooked teeth further down the line.
  • Early loss of baby teeth can cause the permanent teeth to grow in slanted rather than straight.
  • Improper fit of dental restorations, like ill-fitted crowns and fillings, can cause teeth to become crooked.

Risks

Crooked teeth can add an extra charm to your smile, but also severely impact your quality of life. Crooked teeth can lead to the following problems:

  • Gum disease. It can be difficult to properly clean between crooked teeth, leaving bacteria to grow, which leads to tooth decay and gum disease. If not treated, gum disease can progress to periodontitis, an infection that damages bone and teeth.
  • Improper chewing. Teeth misalignment can make it difficult to chew and can lead to digestive problems.
  • Speech difficulties. Misaligned teeth can impact the way you articulate sound.
  • Excess tooth wear. Crooked teeth can cause uneven tooth wear and put more pressure on teeth, gums, and jaw muscles. This can lead to jaw strain, chronic headaches, cracked teeth, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
  • Lower self-esteem. Unhappiness with your appearance can lower your self-esteem and cause you to avoid smiling and social situations. 

Treatment

Fortunately, there are many treatment options for crooked teeth, including braces, removable aligners, and teeth straightening surgery. Our office offers the following treatment options:

Invisalign® aligners are a series of clear plastic aligners made from a mold of your teeth and worn over the teeth to gradually change their position. These custom-made, clear, removable aligners offer a more convenient and comfortable treatment to standard braces. 

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In addition, we offer treatment options to restore existing damage caused by crooked teeth. These include:

Dental Crowns. If your teeth are broken or severely decayed, dental crowns can help restore the natural appearance and function of your teeth. Once any decay is treated on the damaged or broken tooth, a dental crown is placed on top of the natural tooth structure, making your teeth look as good as new.

Dental Veneers. Veneers consist of a very thin layer of porcelain that is placed over the top of your natural tooth to disguise any imperfections. Dental veneers help improve the appearance of your smile when your teeth have worn enamel, discoloration, chips, cracks, or uneven spacing or tooth alignment. 

When you come for a consultation, your mouth, teeth, jaw, and bite will be assessed. Depending on your specific case, the dentist may recommend one of the treatment options above or refer you to an orthodontist for more complicated cases. 

If you are tired of hiding your smile, call Golden State Dentistry at (925) 705-7093 to schedule a consultation. We offer financing through CareCredit. CALL NOW <mailto:galina@goldenstatedentistry.com?subject=RDA Job Application>

Tags: periodontal disease cosmetic dentistry TMJ dental health Invisalign crooked teeth