People get braces for many reasons such as to correct a bite, straighten their smile, close a gap, or correct overcrowded teeth. If you feel like you have too many teeth in your mouth, or your smile is marred by overcrowding, there are options for you.
Many patients who suffer from overcrowding in their mouth get clear braces to help correct the condition. With orthodontic treatment from a reliable dentist, you can have a healthy, aligned smile in a short amount of time with minimal discomfort.
What are Overcrowded Teeth?
In the simplest terms, overcrowded teeth are caused by a lack of space in your mouth. When teeth run out of space, they are pushed up or out, resulting in an unaligned, overcrowded mouth.
Overcrowded teeth can appear inconsistent, overlapping, or misaligned. Along with affecting a person’s self-esteem, crowded teeth can lead to tooth and gum decay or disease. The best way to correct overcrowded teeth is through high-quality orthodontic treatment. Most dentists offering orthodontic procedures suggest clear braces to correct this condition.
What Causes Overcrowded Teeth?
The conditions of overcrowded teeth could result from a few factors, like genetic dispositions, your jaw’s structural components, or bad habits.
In children, this condition could be caused by the simultaneous growth of adult teeth in too-small a mouth, resulting in overcrowding. The parents’ DNA composition affects how a child’s jaw and teeth grow, and if a parent has a predilection for overcrowded teeth and needs orthodontic treatment as a result, then the child will probably need clear braces as well.
A patient with overcrowded teeth may have a small upper or lower jawbone, which results in the appearance of overcrowding and too many teeth.
A patient can develop an overcrowded mouth if they are born with a cleft palate or lip, which is when the two plates that form the mouth do not adequately join or when there is a gap in the upper lip.
If a patient has had tumours in their mouth previously or has suffered an injury to their jaw like a fracture and rehealing, they may find they have a minimal amount of space in their mouths for their teeth to grow.
Some habits can contribute to the development of this condition. Overcrowded teeth can be caused by the tongue continually pushing against the teeth, which usually happens to allow for correct alignment development. Still, when it happens too much, like when the patient sucks their thumb, it can result in overcrowding.
Additionally, when a person, especially a child whose bite is still developing, often breaths with their mouth open, it may result in overcrowding of the teeth. The tongue exerts some pressure on the teeth, pushing them forward. If a patient breathes out of their mouth too much, instead of through their nose, their tongue may lay farther back in their mouth, and not exert the necessary pressure to space out the teeth evenly.
How Can Overcrowded Teeth Affect My Health?
Most of the time, a patient requests orthodontic treatment such as clear braces for their overcrowded teeth because the outward appearance of their smile damages their self-esteem. However, overcrowding can also result in a host of other issues, including periodontal disease, chronic bad breath, gastrointestinal problems, and tooth wear and injury.
- Gum disease – Overcrowding may lead to gum disease and other periodontal ailments because the crowding allows for plaque to grow in hard-to-reach places. Over time, the gum may recede, leaving more area for bacteria to grow.
- Chronic bad breath – Bacteria causes bad breath, and overcrowding of the teeth in the mouth results in more places for bacteria to grow. It is hard to brush and floss correctly when there isn’t much room to maneuver, and overcrowded teeth can often be a breeding ground for the bacteria that cause bad breath.
- Gastrointestinal issues – With an overcrowded mouth, it is challenging to maintain dental hygiene, and it is also difficult to chew your food properly, leading to issues in your gut. When your food is not chewed properly, it cannot be digested easily, which may lead to heartburn and other discomforts within your digestive system.
- Tooth wear and injury – Overcrowding can result in some teeth sticking out, which makes them more susceptible to chipping or breaking. This condition can also result in some teeth being overused while others barely get used at all.
How to Fix Overcrowded Teeth
The best solution for overcrowded teeth is a reliable orthodontic treatment from a trusted dentist. If you feel as if you have too many teeth in your mouth and would like this condition corrected, there is a solution.
Available Dental Care can help fix your overcrowded mouth with clear braces. Our practice offers ClearCorrect, a series of discrete, removable thermoplastic aligners that are customised to your unique smile. The aligners apply gentle pressure to your teeth and slowly move them into the position you desire. Each set of two aligners is switched out approximately every two weeks and can be removed when you need to eat or brush your teeth.
If you are ready to transform your smile with clear braces call our practice today to schedule a consultation for your orthodontic treatment. Our team can help you to achieve a stunning smile and healthy mouth.