Teeth that are healthy and straight are the goal of every person. But, sometimes, because of diet, heredity, or other causes, teeth are not aligned correctly or are crooked, twisted, or overlapping.
Having misaligned teeth can make eating and chewing harder and can affect the way a person looks or perceives themselves. In this world of medical advances, there are several ways to correct the location and orientation of a person's teeth for a more attractive look and better function.
Why Do People Have Crooked or Misaligned Teeth?
There are at least five causes for a person having crooked or misaligned teeth. Dental Services can be sought to determine the cause of crooked teeth or misaligned teeth and come up with the best treatment plan to correct this situation. Reasons for crooked or misaligned teeth include:
1. Heredity is a major cause of malocclusion or misalignment of teeth. Genes passed down through our ancestors and parents can be responsible for things like overbites, underbites, jaw size, crooked teeth, or crowded teeth. A person can inherit jaws that do not align correctly because of being different sizes or being malformed in some way.
2. The size of a person's jaw can cause crowding of teeth. Modern eating habits and diet changes may be contributing to smaller jaw size and more people with crowded, misaligned, or crooked teeth.
3. Poor habits starting in infancy. These myofunctional habits are repeated behaviors that can affect the muscles and other parts of the mouth and face. These bad habits include thumb sucking, incorrect bottle or pacifier use, mouth breathing, and tongue thrusting.
4. Lifestyle and infant and child care are also responsible for dental problems. Poor diet and nutrition lead to tooth decay, poor dental development, and crooked teeth. When parents neglect their children's dental health and do not take them for periodic dental exams, dental problems go untreated and can lead to crooked teeth and dental health issues.
For these reasons, contacting a reliable dentist can be an excellent idea. They can examine the kid’s gums, teeth, and mouth and determine whether dental problems need to be addressed immediately to avoid complications. However, if you’re having difficulty looking for a suitable professional, open your favorite search engine and enter keywords like “childrens dentist“ into the search bar for more accurate results.
5. Injury, ill-fitting dental fillings or appliances, or medical problems can all contribute to crooked or misaligned teeth. Fractured jaws that do not heal correctly, tumors in the mouth and jaw, untreated gum disease, smoking, and other issues can lead to crooked or misaligned teeth.
Why is it Important to Straighten Teeth?
Crooked or misaligned teeth affect a person's life in so many negative ways that if possible, the teeth should be straightened. This is an expensive process that may not be possible for those without dental insurance or adequate finances. But, crooked teeth affect a person's self-image and can make them self-conscious.
Misaligned and crooked teeth can also affect a person's health by making chewing difficult, causing more cavities to develop, speech problems, and excessive wear on crooked teeth.
Because of these, teeth straightening should be given importance. When it’s done correctly, it can make a person’s smile more attractive. It can also result in healthier gums, an improved bite, and reduced jaw pain. Lastly, straight teeth are much easier to clean, avoiding the creation of pockets for food and bacteria.
How Can Crooked or Misaligned Teeth be Straightened?
Crooked or misaligned teeth can be corrected in several ways. Dental professionals can use fixed metal braces, ceramic braces, invisible braces, lingual braces on the side of teeth facing the tongue, or teeth-straightening surgery. Generally, braces can provide several benefits. These include preventing gum disease and tooth decay, improved self-confidence, and enhanced oral health.
But apart from braces, the patient can consider teeth straightening surgery to correct the problem. This method is highly recommended if they experience bad bites caused by misaligned jaws and speech and chewing issues. Like braces, surgery can help enhance a person’s facial appearance and improve their overall quality of life.
That said, both braces and surgery can be used to correct crooked or misaligned teeth. However, a dentist should be consulted about ways to correct the placement of teeth. The different forms of braces and surgeries can cost from $3,000.00 and up.
Teeth straightening surgery can be costly, depending on several factors, such as surgeon fees, location, anesthesia fees, diagnostic fees, hospital costs, and medical prescriptions. The costs of the braces can also vary depending on the type of braces you get, the expertise of your orthodontist, and the amount of time you require braces.
The degree of deformity and the patient's budget play parts in the treatment decision. The patient may need to seek financial assistance for this treatment. The dentist may be able to help finance the treatment with a payment plan or another financing option.
The treatment must be the correct one for the dental problem and the patient must follow the dentist's directions for every treatment type for the best results. But, the beautiful smile and easier chewing of food will make the process well worth it.