When you have overcrowded teeth, it will change the appearance of your smile, but it can also affect the way that you chew food. Poorly aligned teeth are also difficult to keep clean, leading to tooth decay, bad breath or gum disease. You might wonder why you have overcrowded teeth, and this condition is caused by these problems:
- Genetics – your parents and siblings may have dental problems
- Pacifier use – infants should stop using a pacifier after teeth erupt
- Sucking the thumb – applies pressure against the teeth
- Tongue thrusting – pushing the tongue against the teeth
- Teeth grinding – bruxism applies pressure against your teeth
What Are the Signs of Having Overcrowded Teeth?
It is easy to see severely overcrowded teeth toward the front of the mouth, but minor crowding is also bad. The signs of crowded teeth include having food stuck between your teeth that can lead to tooth decay and halitosis. You may not be able to remove the food particles or bacteria from the overcrowded teeth, and our dentist may find it difficult to clean your teeth professionally. Fortunately, there are several ways to make room for your crowded teeth when you choose professional care from our dental office. Use these ways to repair your dental malocclusions.
1. Changing the Shape of the Teeth
It is possible for our dentist to change the shape of some teeth to eliminate the overcrowding in the mouth. This can include removing small amounts of enamel from a tooth to reshape it slightly, or alternatively, we can apply bonding material to teeth. In some cases, our dentist can add a customized dental crown to a poorly aligned tooth. It is possible for our dentist to use multiple methods to improve your bite and your smile.
2. The Removal of Crowded Teeth
Our dentist can remove the crowded teeth from your mouth when you have impacted wisdom teeth or extra teeth in the mouth. The removal of wisdom teeth is usually an easy process that requires anesthesia before the teeth are pulled or cut from the gum tissue. We can also remove any extra or overlapping teeth from your mouth when it won’t affect the way that your smile looks to others.
3. Wearing Plastic Invisalign Aligners
Invisalign aligners are plastic devices that are made to fit over your teeth to apply pressure to change the position of the crowded teeth. You will wear as many as 30 sets of aligners for up to two years to shift your teeth into the proper positions. Every two weeks, you will switch to a new set of aligners. Treatment with aligners will improve your smile and your bite, helping you to have better physical and emotional well-being.
4. Changing the Shape of the Jaw
In some cases, crowded teeth are caused by having a jaw that is too small or the wrong shape. Today, our dentist can correct this issue with specialized treatment that can include wearing customized devices inside the mouth or on the face. You may need to wear headgear to repair your jaw’s size, position or shape to create additional space for your teeth. Alternatively, it is possible to perform surgery on the jaw to make changes to its shape, position or size.
5. Using Braces for Realignment of Your Teeth
If you have major dental health issues that include crowded teeth, then you will need braces to correct the position of your teeth. There are several types of dental braces available, including traditional metallic wires with brackets or ceramic bracket braces with clear wires. You can also have the brackets of your braces attached to the backs of your teeth, making the devices more difficult to see.
6. Plastic Spacers for Crowded Teeth
Our dentist can insert spacers between your crowded teeth to prepare your mouth for additional dental treatment. These plastic spacers apply gentle pressure between the teeth to create additional space over several weeks. As the space widens, our dentist can insert new spacers to create more space between the teeth until the overcrowded teeth are in the perfect positions.
Schedule an Appointment with Us Today
If you suspect that you or your child has crowded teeth, then you should schedule a dental examination with our dentist. With medical images, we can determine what types of malocclusions that a patient has to plan an effective treatment. Repairing overcrowded teeth in childhood or adolescence is recommended because the facial and alveolar bones are softer, but it is also possible to repair dental malocclusions when you are an adult. At Imagine Dental in Ahwatukee, Ariz., we offer a variety of treatments for crowded teeth. Contact our office today at 480-893-7733 to schedule an appointment.
