Fix Crooked Teeth with Dental Braces
April 16th, 2008
Most people’s teeth are a little crooked. Sometimes crooked teeth can cause pain when you chew or talk. Crowded or crooked teeth are harder to brush and floss and improper cleaning can lead to tooth decay and other dental problems. Your dentist might be able to straighten your teeth a little bit by removing overcrowded teeth.
More than 47% of American adults say that crooked teeth leave a negative first impression. And, nearly 72% of people agree that healthy straight teeth are typically treated better in social situations than those with noticeably crooked teeth, according to a recent survey.
Most often crooked teeth, too much space between teeth, overbites, and under bites are inherited traits just as the color of your eyes or size of your hands. But jaw-jolting accidents, as well as habits such as tongue thrusting and thumb sucking, can cause crooked teeth.
Problems Caused by Crooked Teeth
- Interfere with proper chewing.
- Make keeping teeth clean more of a challenge, increasing the risk of tooth decay and cavities and gingivitis.
- Strain the teeth, jaws, and muscles, increasing the risk of breaking a tooth.
- Make people feel self-conscious about their appearance and affect their self-esteem.
But another study also observed that if crooked teeth were not straightened it did not lead to any medical dental complication later. Crooked teeth are perfectly healthy and normal as long as they are taken care of, in terms of, brushing and flossing.
Crooked Teeth Diagnostics
Your dentist can determine if your teeth are crooked and bite misaligned through a routine examination of your mouth, teeth, jaw, and facial appearance. Your dentist will usually refer you to an orthodontist - a dentist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of crooked teeth and misaligned jaws.
The orthodontist will likely take X-rays and teeth impressions to determine if and what type of treatment is needed. Once a diagnosis is made, your orthodontist can decide the best treatment for you. For most people, dental braces are necessary to correct the problem. You can get your crooked teeth straightened with dental braces no matter how old you are.
Straightening Crooked Teeth with Dental Braces
Braces are more than the means to a stunning smile - they can improve dental health and function.
Dental braces are plastic or metal brackets that are glued to your teeth and connected with wires that can be tightened. Braces move your teeth and straighten them out very slowly. Your braces are at work every moment of your orthodontic treatment.
The two main components of your braces are: the brackets that are placed on your teeth and the main archwire that connects them. The bracket is a piece of shaped metal or ceramic that we affix to each tooth. The archwire is bent to reflect your “ideal” bite. In other words, it reflects the way we want you to look after treatment.
Alternatives for Dental Braces in Fixing Crooked Teeth
Invisalign
Another option is Invisalign. Patients wear a series of clear, removable orthodontic aligners that are adjusted as the teeth shift into place without metal or wires. A series of custom-made aligners are worn each for a period of two weeks. Each aligner moves the teeth progressively into place. Average total treatment time: a few months to 1 1/2 years. While orthodontists say Invisalign can be a good alternative to traditional braces, there are limitations.
It doesn’t goes with:
- Vertical problems, where the teeth are at different heights, teeth are lower or higher than others
- Teeth that are severely rotated,
- Correcting bite issues
Porcelain Veneers
If you don’t have time to wait for orthodontic treatment and want instant results, porcelain veneers might be for you. Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin shells that are bonded to the front side of teeth to improve their cosmetic appearance.
Straightening your teeth with traditional orthodontics allows you to keep your natural teeth without having to remove natural tooth structure. If your teeth are healthy and just need to be aligned, orthodontics will allow you to preserve your natural teeth.
Categories: Teeth
hi, im 23 years of age and feel like my teeth are getting more crooked everyday. can they keep bending as i get older? I have a massive fear of getting braces and would be so conscious with them, can you suggest any other options?
HI laura!
i just had my teeth braced for a month now.. and im already 34 yrs old! this is the only time i decided to have it fixed because I have a a lot of sisters and brothers and my parents couldnt afford to have braces. i lso noticed it affected my TMJ and becuase of that i also noticed the left side pof my face is not even with the right side..it sags a little..anyway..its better to have your teeth braced while you are young. its uncomfortable at first but youll get used to it. and i nooticed a positive thing about braces..if the person using braces is a little overweight…you will lose weight. i had..because i cant eat all i want all the time. not because its painful when you chew..well a a little at first especially if its meat…also.. it taskes me longer to brush my teeth everytime i eat ( its stedious brushing teeth with braces..takes me 5 minutes or more).so i end up not eating that often in a day..like before i eat like 5 times in a day…now its only 3 times.