Understanding The Primary Causes Of Crooked Teeth & Dealing With Them

Everyone wants the Hollywood smile although few people are born with it. Even celebrities have their teeth transformed to create the perfect smile.  In fact, before surgery, everyone has different teeth and in many cases, this can be endearing.

However, crooked teeth are generally seen as damaging to physical appearance and they are likely to have a negative effect n your confidence levels. This is why you need to see a reputable Erskineville dentist and get the issue resolved.

The Causes Of Crooked Teeth

In some cases, teeth are crooked because of your genetics. There is little you can do about this as you cannot control the genes you are given. This is the most common reason to have too many teeth in your mouth, develop over or underbites, or even to have poor development of your teeth and palate.

It is also possible that teeth become crooked when you don’t look after them properly.  Put simply, teeth that aren’t looked after will encourage the buildup of plaque. This plaque hardens around the gum line and becomes tartar.

Tartar is a great hiding place for bacteria that attack your gum tissue and sometimes the bones in your jaw.  If this is seen by a dentist early it can be easily treated. But, if left the gums will start to recede, weakening the teeth and allowing them to move.

Over time your teeth can shift position or even become loose, creating crooked teeth.

Thumb sucking and tongue thrusting, when you push your tongue against the roof of your mouth all the time, can also increase the likelihood of your teeth moving out of alignment and becoming crooked.

Surprisingly, malnutrition can also cause crooked teeth as your teeth may not be getting all the nutrition they need and, therefore, weaken them and allow them to move.

Dealing With Crooked Teeth

The key to fixing your crooked teeth is to see your dentist. There is nothing you can do at home to fix them. Your dentist will inspect the teeth and identify any underlying issues that need to be resolved first.

Once they have done that they will look at repositioning your teeth properly and eliminating the crooked ones. There is only one way to do this effectively, with braces.

Braces come in a variety of formats but they all do the same thing, place just enough pressure on the teeth to encourage them to move. By varying the pressure on individual teeth they can get specific ones to move and even change the way they face.

It is normal to wear a brace for two or even three years as teeth naturally move very slowly. But, the end result will be worthwhile.

It should be noted that if crooked teeth are noticed in very small children a palatal expander can be used. This works in a similar manner to a brace but captures the issue earlier and will often resolve it faster. You need to speak to your dentist as soon as you think you or your child has an issue.