Perhaps your lower teeth are perfect, but you’d like to do something about your upper teeth? Straighter teeth not only look better but they can improve your confidence and quality of life. Crooked teeth affect many people but luckily there are ways to correct them. There are several types of crooked teeth that are caused by different things. Fortunately, there are also many effective treatments such as clear aligners or clear braces. Why not book a free assessment and find the right solution for you? Corrections to shifted teeth can help you look your best, feel confident and better.
What are the types of crooked teeth?
Plenty of both adults and children have crooked teeth. There are several different ways in which your teeth can be misaligned. Here are some examples of the most common types of crooked teeth:
- Crowded
Crowded teeth are extremely common. Essentially there’s a lack of space in your mouth for all your teeth and they come up at an angle. Fortunately, this is often easy to correct with clear aligners, normally after having some teeth extracted.
- Overbite
An overbite is when your upper teeth come too far forward and bite down onto your gums. A slight overbite is normal in all people, but when this is too extreme, it can be corrected with clear braces.
- Underbite
An underbite is essentially the opposite of an overbite, where your top teeth actually bite down behind your bottom teeth.
- Spacing
Sometimes people have spaces between two teeth which are too wide. Normally teeth can be brought close together using clear aligners.
What are the main causes of crooked teeth?
Both baby teeth and adult can come in crooked. With crowding, it is mainly caused by a lack of space. Many people want straighter teeth due to overcrowding. This problem normally occurs when adult teeth first come in and can be corrected once all adult teeth are present.
Bad habits, especially as children such as sucking your thumb or a pacifier can cause teeth to come out crooked. Sometimes, it’s just hereditary, however, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it. Luckily, there are solutions such as clear braces which gives you the opportunity to have straighter teeth later in life.
Other issues such as trauma to the mouth or jaw could cause teeth to come out crooked. The loss of one tooth could quite possibly affect the alignment of the others. One of the benefits of having a dental implant fitted to replace a lost tooth is to give you straighter teeth.
Malocclusion or a misaligned jaw is also a condition that will cause crooked teeth, particularly in the case of an overbite or underbite. In most cases, this is something that you’re born with and it can be corrected to give you straigher teeth. Poor myofunctional habits can also affect this however. These include mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, reverse swallowing, and thumb sucking.
What are the effects of crooked teeth?
There are certain negative effects of crooked teeth. Many people feel self-conscious, particularly when smiling in photos. Having straighter teeth is a great way to get your confidence back, look your best, and feel healthier and happier. They can often change the look of someone’s face dramatically, a healthy smile goes a long way.
Crooked teeth could also lead to complications such as digestion problems due to lack of chewing, speech difficulties, and excess wear. In more severe cases, crooked teeth could result in periodontal disease. This is due to the fact that they are more difficult to clean at an angle or crowded. It might be more difficult to reach all areas of overlapping or rotated teeth. This could eventually lead to gum disease or infection.
How can I get straighter teeth?
There are several available treatments for crooked teeth. For example, if you’re looking to straighten your upper teeth to match your lower ones you could get braces. Braces help to align the teeth and can treat all sorts of problems. Clear braces are an ideal option, because they’re much less visible. You can even opt for removable clear aligners.
In more extreme cases there are different options of treatment available. These may involve surgical procedures to remove misaligned teeth. In minor cases, veneers are sometimes used to cover crooked teeth. With spacing, gaps are closed with a treatment known as bonding. A type of resin is put on the teeth and formed to fill the gap. In all these cases, once the jaw line has been corrected, you can keep it in place with clear aligners.
What are the benefits of clear braces?
Clear braces, or clean aligners, are often the ideal solution to crooked teeth. They can be used to treat crowding, spacing, and both overbites and underbites. Clear aligners follow the same concept as metallic braces. They are molded to your teeth after a professional assessment. Unlike traditional braces, the tray can be removed. There are many benefits of using clear braces or clear aligners.
First of all, clear aligners are much less visible. The transparent material means that people won’t notice you’re wearing braces at first. They’re also removable. You can wear the retainer device when it suits you. They still remain effective, however, and if worn regularly will result in straighter teeth. You can get them separately for just your upper teeth if necessary.
As well as being discreet and removable, they’re also easy to clean. You can take them out and clean both your teeth and you clear aligners thoroughly. Clear braces as opposed to traditional braces are also smooth and comfortable. You can continue to eat naturally without any problems. You’ll also be able to get a precise and personal dental treatment plan with clear aligners as they’re made from an impression to fit your very own teeth.
It’s time to finally get your confidence back and look better with straighter teeth. If you would like more information about clear braces or clear aligners, contact us today.
