What Causes Crowding Teeth?
Teeth crowding happens when there is not enough room for your teeth on your jaw, which needs to be corrected to prevent any further issues. As the teeth grow in, some may not have the room they need to fit in. So, the teeth will naturally grow in places where they shouldn’t, since there was no room for them. Dental crowding can happen due to genetics or other factors coming into play, causing teeth to grow in crookedly.
Other factors that can cause dental crowding
Other than genetics, dental crowding can be caused by other factors like;
- Growing extra adult teeth
- Losing your baby teeth prematurely
- Unusually large teeth
- Abnormal tooth growth
Signs of dental crowding
There are a few signs that your teeth are crowding together that affect the day-to-day life of someone. Dental crowding may be present if there is discomfort in the tooth when biting into something, which can lead to trouble biting or chewing, which directly affects your well-being. Signs of crossbite or teeth overlapping on each other are also signs of dental crowding. In addition, difficulty brushing and flossing, as well as bleeding gums while flossing, can all be signs of dental crowding as well. Once the teeth get pushed together, it makes it harder to floss between the teeth. This also makes the gums around the teeth sensitive and prone to bleeding. One other sign of dental crowding can be described as jaw pain, where the teeth are pushing against each other. The constant pressure of the teeth moving around and trying to fit in, it puts a strain on the jaw where the teeth should be set.
How does dental crowding affect someone?
Not only does crowding affect your oral health, but it also affects your overall health. Not only is it important to keep your teeth spaced appropriately, but it’s also important to make sure they are cleaned properly. Some issues dental crowding is known to cause are as follows:
- Gum disease or periodontal disease
- Aching teeth or jaw around the problem sites
- Troubles with biting or chewing food
- Formation of possible cavities in the exposed areas
- TMD (also known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction
- A loss of confidence due to the smile not being perfect
Ways dental crowding can be fixed
When speaking to the dental specialist, talk about the possible options you have for improving your smile from dental crowding. Also, make sure that these services and procedures are covered under insurance, since they can get a bit pricey. One traditional option is to get braces implanted on your teeth. The braces will slowly start to pull your teeth into their correct place over time, with the help of the dentist adjusting them every so often. Once aligned, the dentist will then remove the braces once they feel that the teeth can get as straight as they can. Another more modern method is going with Invisalign, which is a more comfortable teeth cap that also slowly pushes teeth back in place, but it’s known to be more comfortable than braces.
Related Article: How do you Treat Teeth Crowding?