How Do You Treat Teeth Crowding?
Over time, you may notice that your teeth congregate more and more. This may be an issue that stems back to childhood. You also may have had a recent accident that has shifted your teeth, causing them to crowd.
If your teeth are shifting and crowding, you’ll need to consider the reasons and what can be done to fix the issue before it gets worse.
Levels of Dental Crowding
There are different levels of dental crowding. These include:
- Mild Crowding. Mild crowding is when one tooth is rotated slightly.
- Moderate crowding. Moderate crowding is when there are two or three teeth that are overlapping.
- Severe crowding. Severe crowding needs to be taken very seriously. This involves a majority of teeth overlapping.
Causes of Dental Crowding
There are a few common causes of teeth crowding. These include:
- Being born with a smaller jaw
- Having larger than usual teeth
- Losing of primary teeth too early in childhood
- Injury
While crowding may seem like it’s just an aesthetic issue, it can actually lead to other oral health problems. These include:
- Gum disease. Because it is harder to properly floss and care for your gums, dental crowding may lead to gum disease and periodontitis.
- Tooth decay. It can be extremely difficult to brush teeth that are crowded. Because of this, you may end up developing tooth decay.
- Wear on other teeth. Teeth pushing against each other can eventually lead to wearing and injury.
- Speech problems. Having misplaced teeth can make it more difficult to speak properly, causing difficulty with articulating words.
Because of the health risks associated with teeth crowding, you’ll want to consider repair options to straighten your teeth.
Repair Options
When you speak with your dentist about your teeth crowding, you may be given a few different repair options to choose from. Some popular options include:
- Braces. Braces are the most popular option when it comes to teeth alignment. There are different types of braces available, which include metal, ceramic, invisible and lingual. All have their advantages and disadvantages. After braces, you’ll likely be given a retainer to ensure your teeth don’t shift again.
- Teeth-straightening surgery. In order to speed up the repair process, you may be able to get teeth-straightening surgery. This procedure is often used in conjunction with braces to realign teeth that are out of place.
- Tooth extraction. In extreme cases, teeth may need to be extracted due to crowding. There are also situations where unnecessary teeth (like wisdom teeth) are causing damage. These teeth can be removed without causing any problems with your bite.
Speak with Your Dentist
When it comes to dental crowding, there are different levels of severity and treatment options. If you notice your teeth shifting or they have been crowded for years, you’ll want to set an appointment with your dentist to have the problem addressed. They will decide on the best course of treatment, and may provide you with different options (such as in the case of braces).