Maybe you’re noticing that your teeth, or your child’s, are crooked, and you’re interested in a smile correction. Patients often don’t realize there’s more to crooked teeth than meets the eye. Crooked teeth can result from crowding, jaw position issues, eruption patterns, and other orthodontic factors. Crowding is one type of malocclusion. Our approach to crooked teeth is a comprehensive intervention. We don’t simply want to improve the look of your smile. We want to figure out the why behind the issue and address it.
Our goal is always to give our patients a beautiful, healthy smile. We help you understand the underlying causes of crooked teeth so the treatment plan we recommend makes sense.
Crooked Teeth: Causes and Consequences
When you come into our practice concerned about crooked teeth, our orthodontists look past the visible problem to identify a lasting solution.
Crooked teeth are typically the result of crowding, or when the teeth don’t have enough space to come in straight. Crooked or crowded teeth may be part of a malocclusion. This term, which literally means bad bite, refers to an imbalance in tooth alignment or in how the upper and lower teeth fit together.
A common question we get from parents of children with crowded or crooked teeth is: Will the problem resolve on its own? Our orthodontists find that it typically does not. In fact, crowding may worsen rather than improve as more adult teeth come in. That’s why it’s not beneficial to postpone orthodontic intervention in the hope that crooked teeth will correct themselves.
Crooked or crowded teeth are as much a functional concern as a cosmetic one. Some people with malocclusion also have jaw symptoms, such as clicking, popping, or discomfort. A poor relationship between the upper and lower teeth may contribute to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Severely crowded teeth are also harder to keep clean, as more tight spaces create crevices for plaque to build up.
While the desire for a straighter-looking smile is often what brings someone into our practice, we’re treating more than just looks. By correcting these issues, we’re setting you up for a healthier smile and a more comfortable bite. Orthodontic intervention for crooked teeth can promote better oral health in the long run.
Here’s How Our Orthodontists Address Crowding
How do we address crowding?
The first step is to determine why there isn’t enough room for the teeth to grow in the first place. Then an orthodontist comes up with a plan after taking measurements of your teeth and jaws.
Expanders
If we determine that your teeth or jaws are too narrow, we may recommend specialized appliances called expanders to create space for the teeth.
Our dentists might use dental expanders to push the teeth into a wider position. Alternatively, we may use palatal expanders to widen the palate. We can assess whether the jaws or teeth need expanding when we assess your smile up close.
Braces & Clear Aligners
In addition to considering expansion, we also consider addressing crooked teeth with braces or an alternative treatment. Metal braces are very common, and as many as one in five Americans have had them. Alternatively, we offer more subtle clear aligners, which are sold under the brand name Invisalign®. Both of these treatments apply pressure to slowly shift the teeth into ideal alignment.
Every case is different, which is why we can only determine what’s best for you or your child during a personalized consultation.
Learn More at a Free Screening
Maybe you’re mainly concerned about the appearance of crooked teeth. However, teeth that come in shifted, misaligned, or crowded signal that a patient has a malocclusion that can contribute to other problems. For these reasons, we consider orthodontic intervention to be a step toward a healthier smile. Our orthodontists can develop a comprehensive treatment plan that includes expanders and braces or clear aligners, depending on your needs.
Crooked, straight, or otherwise, no two smiles are alike. What orthodontic treatment for you or your child entails is entirely based on your unique anatomy. We can only know for sure what’s best for your smile after a thorough exam.
We don’t charge for visits until you begin your treatment plan. That means it costs nothing to learn about your options to correct crooked teeth for a healthier smile in the future.
Book a free consultation at one of our seven locations across Western New York.
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