Many people have a particular feature that detracts from their overall beauty, keeping them just short of perfection. For some, it’s their weight. For others, it’s a facial feature, such as a misaligned set of teeth.
Misaligned or crooked teeth can impair your confidence as you may not want to laugh wholeheartedly, exposing your dentition. But it even does more than that: crooked teeth can adversely affect your oral health.
For example, biting down on food may become a challenge. And once you begin to chew improperly, further damage may occur, such as the development of tooth cavities and other problems.
Fortunately, specialized dentists known as orthodontists can help correct crooked teeth using various cosmetic procedures. Therefore, if you have crooked teeth, take this as a sign and visit an orthodontist right away to get a billion dollar smile that you deserve.
But before going into that, let’s first highlight some possible causes and effects of teeth misalignment.
Causes
The leading causes of this condition are
- Genetics and heredity
- Poor dental care
- Poor nutrition in children, leading to poor dental decay
- Facial injury
Effects
Poorly aligned dentition may cause the following challenges for the individual.
- Chewing issues
- Wear and tear between teeth, gums, and jaw
- Jaw strain
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty washing the crooked teeth, leading to decay and gum disease
- Low self-esteem
Treatment options an orthodontist may offer
1. Braces
Braces are the most commonly used treatment method for severely misaligned teeth. They are made of metal bands that your dentist will place on the back of the teeth, with small metal squares (brackets) fixed to each tooth.
Braces work by applying continuous pressure to the teeth, forcing them slowly but gradually into the desired position. Your dentist may use Invisalign braces, which have become the preferred choice over traditional braces.
One reason is that this type of brace can be removed anytime, such as when you’re about to eat or brush. This avoids the issue of food getting stuck in a metal bracket.
2. Veneers
Veneers are also another standard treatment option for crooked dentition. The device comprises thin tooth covers lab-tailored to fit and bond to the client’s teeth. Since they are customized in the lab for each patient, you would always get the best-suited veneer for your teeth, no matter the structure or gap.
Veneers are long-lasting and are considered more appropriate for minor misalignment.
3. Dental Crowns
Dental crowns, or simply crowns, are tooth-shaped caps that cover the teeth. They’re made to match the color of natural teeth, thereby camouflaging their presence.
Orthodontists can fix crowns to damage or crooked teeth. But like veneers, they are only suitable when the misalignment is minor. Crowns are usually made of porcelain or ceramic.
4. Dental bonding
As the name sounds, dental bonding procedure involves bonding the cosmetic device to the teeth, just like veneers. But unlike veneers, these do not need to be lab-tailored. Instead, the composite material made of resin shells can be applied as soon as you visit the clinic.
The teeth are first toughened for proper bonding before placing the bonding material on them. UV light is then directed on the material to harden and set it into position.
Again, this method is only suitable for slight misalignment.
Final words
Out of the four well-known cosmetic procedures for correcting misaligned teeth, three basically work to cover up the imperfection.
Severe crookedness may not be covered that easily, so braces become the right treatment option.
