Adult teeth would always grow straight and evenly spaced without the help of an orthodontist. Unfortunately for many people, crooked teeth are a reality. Many of those with crooked teeth as children don't want their children to go through the same hardships they do. If you want to know what you can do to help your children's teeth develop properly, this list is for you.
What are Crooked Teeth?
Misaligned teeth may have a variety of causes, ranging from anatomy, malnutrition, and oral habits to dental cancer and poor dental hygiene. However, there are many treatments available to correct teeth alignment and improve patient’s self-confidence and smiles. Crooked teeth are incredibly common, and many of us deal with this problem in our youth. There are many reasons for wanting to avoid crooked teeth beyond just giving yourself a more beautiful smile. By making sure your teeth stay straight, you can improve your self-esteem, prevent gum disease and cavities, and make it easier to articulate.
Causes
Both baby teeth and permanent teeth can be crowded or crooked. Baby teeth sometimes move into crooked positions because they are too small to fill the allotted amount of gum space. If trauma to the mouth or tooth decay causes one or more baby teeth to fall out earlier than they would naturally, the permanent teeth that follow may grow out of sloping rather than straight gums.
Other problems that affect baby teeth that can also affect permanent teeth include:
Jaw size
The modern diet of soft and processed foods that many people consume requires less chewing than the foods consumed by our earliest ancestors. This change has altered the size of our collective jaw, making it smaller. Scientists believe that our shorter, more strengthened jaw may be responsible for crowded, crooked, and misaligned teeth.
Poor Nutrition
Poor diet, particularly in children, may lead to cavities and poor dental growth, which may be precursors to crooked teeth.
Poor dental care
Failure to have your teeth checked by a dentist at least once a year can mean that some problems, such as gum disease and cavities, are not treated. This can lead to crooked teeth and other oral health problems.
Thumb sucking
Children who suck their thumb for several years often end up with crooked teeth. The pressure of the thumb constantly applied to the ever-growing gums causes the teeth to distorted, particularly outwards. The problem of crooked teeth is more likely if this habit continues until the age of the child.
Push tongue
Pushing the tongue has the same effect on the teeth as thumb sucking. It can cause misaligned bites, especially an overbite, protruding upper teeth.
Misaligned teeth
Misaligned teeth or malocclusion occurs when the size of the upper or lower jaw is smaller than usual. Misaligned jaws cause problems such as overbite and under-bite. In an overbite, the upper set of teeth protrudes over the lower teeth, and in a lower bite, the lower set of teeth protrudes over the upper teeth.
Genetics
Children often have crooked teeth from their parents. If the problem of crooked teeth runs in the family, it is likely that children also have crooked permanent teeth despite following good oral care habits.
Facial injury
Facial trauma, such as a childhood jaw injury, can cause displaced teeth or misaligned bites. The reason is that the jaw slightly displaced from its original position, causing the teeth to become crooked. Facial injuries can also lead to tooth loss. And when there is an open space in a jaw, the rest of the teeth shift to cover that space.
Side effects of crooked teeth on health
Gum / Periodontal Disease
Crooked teeth provide an opportunity for bacteria to proliferate and form plaque in areas where the gums do not fit securely around the teeth. This leads to periodontal disorder, which can also lead to dental failure.
Tooth wear
Misaligned teeth can cause one or more teeth to rub against the other teeth while eating or chewing food. The constant friction of one tooth with the other can cause undue wear on tooth enamel that can lead to cracks, erosion, or breakage.
Difficulty in chewing
patches with an uneven textureCrooked or stuffed teeth make chewing painful, which can lead to digestive problems.
Speech Difficulty
Speech Difficulty, such as Word Difficulty, is the most common symptom of crooked teeth.
Bad Breath
Bad breath is caused by bacteria that linger in the cracks between crooked teeth.
Destroy self-esteem and confidence
Crooked teeth are an embarrassment to many. They play with your self-esteem, thus reducing your confidence levels.
Increases susceptibility to dental injury
Crooked or protruding teeth are more likely to chip, crack or fracture in the event of an accident. The normal actions of the jaw when eating or a traumatic impact can make the teeth susceptible to injury.
Diagnosis
Your dentist can suggest that you see a specialist called an orthodontic surgeon. Your mouth, teeth, and jaw will be examined and your bite will be evaluated. The orthodontist will probably take X-rays, photographs of your face, and impressions of your teeth to determine if and what type of treatment is necessary. X-ray provide information about the position of the teeth and roots and whether some teeth have not yet emerged from the gums.
Special cephalometry or panoramic x-rays show the relationship of the teeth to the jaw and the jaw to the head. Your orthodontist will also want to take daily photographs of your face to further analyze the relationship between your teeth, jaws, and head. Finally, impressions of your teeth can be made. This is done by having you bite down on a material that is then used to create an exact copy of your teeth.
Treatment
When a diagnosis has done, the orthodontic surgeon will select the best treatment for your teeth or a misaligned bite. For certain people, the removable bracket (to support the new location of the teeth) may be all that is required to fix the problem. In very rare cases, it may be necessary to remove one or more teeth if crowding is the major problem.
The two most effective methods for fixing crooked teeth are:
Braces
Braces are a type of orthodontic appliance that comprises braces, bands, and wires. They apply constant pressure on the jaw for an extended period, causing it to adapt to pressure in a certain direction, causing it to move to the desired position. There are three types of braces available, including metal, ceramic, and lingual. You can talk to your orthodontist and find out what may be the most appropriate tooth alignment solution for you based on the results of your oral exam.
Invisalign
Invisalign is an invisible appliance. Treatment includes clear or transparent trays that are custom created to fit your set of teeth. Your orthodontist will create multiple molds and you will have to move from one mold to another until your teeth finally move into the correct position. Adults often opt for Invisalign as they are clear and can easily go unnoticed. However, it is the higher cost of Invisalign that makes braces a more practical solution.
Prevention
Although the factors that have the greatest impact on whether teeth are crooked fall under the hereditary category, certain steps may be taken to prevent them from happening. Some crooked teeth. For example, if you have a child whose baby teeth are losing and adult teeth are growing, making sure they don't suck their thumb can help prevent some misalignment.
Along the same lines, making sure that speech and chewing progress correctly can help prevent exacerbation of the genetic kink. As soon as possible, get an X-ray of your teeth and see if the dentist or orthodontist can provide any predictions about the problem areas to watch out for.