When you have an uneven smile, this could cause some pretty major problems with health and function. But why do we develop uneven teeth? In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist talks about how misalignment forms, and how we can correct crooked, crowded, and overlapping teeth with cosmetic orthodontics!
Factors in Childhood
Often, the factors behind the onset of your misalignment occur in childhood. Complications with the growth and development of the jaw, which could be exacerbated by thumb sucking or tongue thrusting, could cause misalignment. Losing baby teeth prematurely to tooth decay or infection could also upset how the permanent teeth erupt, which further alters the alignment of your teeth. We do offer treatment for kids as young as age seven, which is used to combat these factors and help guide the growth and development of the smile to limit the severity of alignment issues. We use a phased approach, guiding the growth of the smile with retainers and teeth spacers, and then completing treatment in the teen years with braces or aligners.
Injury and Tooth Loss
But misalignment could also occur in the teen and adult years too. When a smile is injured, this could cause uneven teeth. In addition, if you wore orthodontics but failed to wear a retainer afterward, the teeth could shift slightly once again. Losing teeth is a major factor too. The gaps in your smile could cause the surrounding teeth to actually begin drifting from position, which leads to misalignment.
Impacts on Health
When you have an uneven smile, this means proper brushing and flossing is difficult. The food particles trapped between your teeth could feed harmful oral bacteria and allow cavities, gingivitis, and even gum disease to develop. Malocclusion also strains your jaw joints, increasing the risk of painful complications like TMJ disorder or even bruxism (teeth grinding). Finally, you could simply feel embarrassed about your appearance and become self-conscious, which harms your social interactions and overall quality of life.
Treatment Options
We can take a cosmetic approach to braces with tooth-colored brackets, and we can use Invisalign® to offer smile correction with nearly-invisible aligners. We also have retainers and teeth spacers, and more. If you have any questions about how we correct your smile, or if you would like to schedule a consultation, then contact our team today to learn more. We can help you achieve a straighter smile!
Do You Want an Even Smile?
We would like to learn more about how we correct misalignment? If you have any questions about addressing uneven smiles, or if you would like to schedule an appointment soon, please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in Azle, Saginaw, and all surrounding communities.
