Crooked Teeth and Misaligned Bites: Causes and Treatments

Our smile is a significant part of our personality and plays a major part in moulding our confidence. Having crooked, twisted, crowded or overlapping teeth can affect your confidence immensely. Crooked teeth are quite common among all age groups, from children to adults, and several reasons contribute to this misalignment.

Below we’ll discuss the causes of crooked teeth, the problems caused by them, and effective treatment for crooked/crowded teeth and misaligned bites.

A] Causes of Crooked Teeth and Misaligned Bites

Several reasons contribute to misaligned teeth. Below we have listed some of the major causes of crooked, overlapping, or overcrowded teeth.

1. Thumb Sucking: Thumb sucking can lead to crooked or misaligned teeth in children. The pressure applied by the thumb on the still-growing gums can cause the teeth to grow crooked, especially outwards. This problem can cause issues if the habit of thumb sucking continues during pre-schooling years and beyond.

2. Tongue Thrusting: Tongue thrusting is a poor myofunctional activity that has the same impact on the teeth as thumb sucking. It can result in misaligned bites, especially an overbite where the upper teeth protrude.

3. Genetics and Heredity: Children often get crooked or uneven teeth if one of the parents have them. An overbite or underbite can also be hereditary.

4. Poor Dental Care: Cavities and gum diseases can lead to crooked teeth and other oral health problems. Proper brushing and flossing of teeth regularly are necessary to avoid cavities. Also, visit the dentist every six months to prevent oral health issues.

5. Lack of Nourishment: Your teeth require as much nutrition as your body. Poor nutrition, especially in growing children, can lead to tooth decay and poor overall dental development, which are potential precursors to crooked or twisted teeth.

6. Misaligned Teeth: Misaligned teeth, also called malocclusion, are caused when the size of the upper and lower jaw is smaller than usual, resulting in overbite or underbite. In the case of an overbite, the upper set of teeth protrudes over the lower teeth. Whereas in underbite, the lower set of teeth protrudes over the upper ones, resulting in speech problems, chewing difficulty, among others.

7. Facial Injury: Facial trauma such as a jaw injury in childhood can result in displaced or twisted teeth or a misaligned bite. The reason is the slight shifting of the jaw from its original position due to the impact of the injury, resulting in crooked teeth. Besides misalignment, facial injuries may also result in tooth loss, and when there is an open space in the jaw, the rest of the teeth tend to shift and crowd to cover that space.

B] Problems Caused By Crooked Teeth & Misaligned Bites

1. Low Self Esteem: As mentioned above, your smile reflects your personality. Hence, people having crooked or misaligned teeth tend to have low self-esteem. Moreover, poor dental health can result in cavities and stained teeth. It may make you conscious of how you look, making it difficult to talk, smile, or laugh with ease.

2. Wear & tear of teeth, gums, and jaw muscles: Misaligned teeth are more prone to wear and tear than usual. The wear and tear do not only occur for the teeth but also the gums and jaw muscles. In many cases, excessive wear and tear can lead to TMJ (temporomandibular jaw) disorder wherein the patients experience severe pain or even lockjaw. The disorder can also affect the muscles and ligaments surrounding the jaw joint.

3. Gum Disease: Over time, poor oral or dental health may result in bad breath, cavity, plaque, or tooth decay, eventually causing gum disease. Gingivitis is the initial stage of gum disease, wherein the gums feel itchy, irritated, and swollen, causing discomfort. Bleeding gums is another prominent symptom that indicates the onset of gum disease. If gingivitis is left untreated, it leads to periodontitis. Here, periodic periodontal exams can help maintain your oral health.

4. Speech Difficulty: Difficulty in speech, such as slurring or problem in pronouncing a few words is the most common effect seen in people having crooked or wonky teeth.

5. Improper Chewing: Chewing becomes a problem for many with crooked teeth due to a misaligned jaw. The upper or lower jaw may protrude, causing them to rub together, making chewing difficult.

6. Weak Digestion: Crooked teeth prevents you from chewing food properly. If you can’t chew food properly, you would likely experience digestion issues. Apart from weak digestion, the nutritional intake also suffers, resulting in poor health.

C] Treatments for Crooked Teeth and Misaligned Bites

If you are unhappy with your teeth and looking for solutions, then here are some treatment options.

1. Braces: Braces are orthodontic devices consisting of brackets, bands, and wires. Braces on crooked teeth are used to apply constant pressure on the jaw over an extended period, making it adapt to pressure in a certain direction which causes them to move into the desired position to align the teeth.

There are four types of braces available. Based on the oral examination, the dentist or orthodontist will suggest the right solution for enhanced teeth alignment.

• Metal Braces: Fixed metal braces are attached to the teeth with brackets, bands, and flexible wires. It is an ideal choice for those with complex dental alignment issues.
• Ceramic Braces: Ceramic braces (and archwires) that connect them are either clear or tooth-coloured. Hence, they do not stand out as much as metal braces. The process of aligning teeth is the same as metal brackets.
• Invisible Braces (Invisalign): Invisible braces, also known as Invisalign, are nearly invisible brackets. These custom-made, clear plastic aligners fit over each tooth like a mouthguard. They can be removed and replaced twice monthly. These, however, are not ideal for severe tooth alignment corrections.
• Lingual Braces: The side of your teeth that faces your tongue is called the lingual surface. Lingual braces are another type of invisible bracket. They are similar to traditional metal braces, except they are attached to the backside of your teeth instead of the front.

2. Orthognathic Surgery: Surgical procedures are another option to straighten teeth for a quick result (compared to braces). The orthodontist may recommend a more involved procedure designed to realign your jaw called Orthognathic Surgery. This surgery is only recommended if the misaligned teeth severely affect your chewing ability or speech. The cost of the procedure is determined by the type of surgery you have.

FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

What causes crooked teeth?

Thumb sucking, poor dental care, and the impact of facial injury are some reasons for crooked teeth. Tooth loss is another common reason for crooked teeth in adults, where the remaining teeth shift into the space created by the missing tooth.

If my teeth were straight as a child, can they still become crooked?

Both baby teeth and permanent teeth can grow crooked or become crooked. If one or more baby teeth fall out sooner due to trauma to the mouth or tooth decay, the permanent teeth that follow may grow slanted or crooked rather than straight.

Are clear braces effective for treating crooked teeth?

Clear braces can fix mild to moderate levels of overbites, underbites, crossbites, open bites, crowded teeth, gaps between teeth, and general crookedness.

How do I know if my teeth are crooked or my bite is misaligned?

Factors like the abnormal alignment of teeth, abnormal face appearance, difficulty in chewing or biting, and speech difficulties, including a lisp, are some of the signs the dentist will look for to determine if your teeth are crooked or you have misaligned bites.

Do I need braces to straighten my crooked teeth?

For most people, braces are the safest & effective way to straighten teeth permanently. But if you have mild or slightly crooked teeth, an orthodontist-prescribed retainer may also be enough.

Can crooked teeth harm my health if not treated?

If not treated at the right time, crooked teeth can cause health problems. Gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease. It can also cause obstructive sleep apnea - an airway problem.

How can fixed braces correct crooked teeth?

Braces move your teeth to the desired position by exerting pressure on them continuously for extended periods to correct crooked teeth.

If you are looking for an affordable dentist at Sunshine Coast, get in touch with us.