What Causes Misaligned Midline Teeth?
Midline misalignment is a common dental issue for many adults. This happens when your upper teeth’s center point does not align with your lower teeth’s center point. The effects of a misaligned midline shift can sometimes be problematic. Improper alignment of your teeth might affect the way your bite functions. A midline shift may also affect the back of your jaw and then lead to other issues like uneven wear on your teeth resulting in cavities, cracks, and even accidental grinding. There are several treatment options available to correct a misaligned midline.
Common Causes of Midline Misalignment
Medical conditions or even lifestyle habits may lead to midline misalignment. Here are some common causes:
- Missing Teeth or Hypodontia- Missing teeth or hypodontia is when one or more of your adult teeth are missing. It could be from gum disease, tooth decay, injury, or you were born with it. Your neighboring teeth will shift to the open gap, causing a dental midline shift.
- Bad Childhood Habits- If the childhood habit of sucking the thumb or using a pacifier gets extended, it can create numerous orthodontic issues. A common one is a misaligned midline. You can eliminate this by regulating your baby's thumb or pacifier sucking.
- Crowded Teeth- A misaligned midline can be the result of the crowding of teeth. When your teeth grow abnormally, they will not follow proper spacing. This happens from the lack of room in your mouth for them all. As a result, you get a misaligned midline.
- Jaw Misalignment- You might have heard about an open bite, a crossbite, or an underbite. These are all diverse types of jaw misalignments. They create malocclusion of teeth, which will not let them fit together properly. This is also a natural cause for a midline shift.
Ways to Treat Misaligned Midline Teeth
Although misaligned midline shift is quite a common condition, your specific case may be different. There are various treatment options available, and based on your unique requirements, your dentist may recommend one of the following:
- Braces- Braces are exceptionally effective at correcting midline misalignments. In addition to the midline correction, braces can also improve skeletal realignment. The primary downside of braces is their visibility, they are simply difficult to hide.
- Invisalign- Invisalign is an innovative treatment solution for correcting your misaligned midline. Invisalign can be paired with additional dental appliances for other dental issues. The translucent clear aligners used in this treatment are difficult to see, which is promoting their popularity.
- Hyrax expander- A Hyrax expander can also be used to correct a misaligned midline. The expander is fastened to your teeth and then positioned on the roof of your mouth to expand your upper jaw. The expander holds this position, so your teeth have the opportunity to adjust to their new position. The expander can be worn from three to nine months.
- Extraction- A strategic tooth extraction can also correct a misaligned midline shift. When the space opens after the tooth is extracted, the neighboring teeth will shift to fill the gap. This can be used in combination with another treatment for better results.