Crooked and Misaligned Teeth

Crooked teeth are usually caused by lack of space in the jaws. In some circumstances, the jaws are simply too small or underdeveloped for all the teeth to fit, resulting in poor alignments. In other cases, gum disease causes teeth to drift in unwanted directions, causing them to appear long, gappy or twisted. Sometimes extra teeth, such as supernumerary teeth and retained baby teeth, can also result in dental crowding. Coming in for a check up can identify the causes of your crooked teeth and provide you with a plan to straighten and bring your teeth to optimal alignment.

Orthodontics:

For growing children, a removable orthodontic plate can be used to develop and expand the jaws so there is enough room for all teeth to fit in. For older children and adults, dental extractions may be necessary to create spaces for teeth alignment as part of orthodontic treatment. Traditional braces and Invisalign are routinely used to improve alignments of crooked teeth. At Graceful Dental, we have orthodontic specialists whom we trust and have worked with for many years.

Aesthetic /Cosmetic dentistry:

If the misalignments are minor in nature and only affect the front teeth and you’d prefer not to have braces or invisalign, dental veneers may be considered as an alternative to orthodontics as it yields faster cosmetic results. Chat to Dr Grace, Dr Lakshmi or Dr Quor if you’d like to know more. We can discuss the treatment options to improve your smile.

While largely seen as a cosmetic problem, crooked teeth, in fact, can have a significantly negative impact on the overall state of your oral health. It can potentially create a number of dental problems:

• Cleaning teeth that are crowded may be a challenge as it is tricky to remove food in between overlapping teeth.
• Crowding can increase your risk of cavities, gum disease and tooth decay.
• It may inhibit proper chewing.
• It can interfere with the proper growth and development of your jaw bones.
• It can contribute to airway obstructions and underdeveloped sinuses.
• It can affect your facial appearance and speech.
• It is possible that your teeth wear down a lot quicker.