Crooked teeth are not a rare condition. While some may consider it natural and leave it unattended, they need to be treated properly and on time to avoid oral health problems. Crooked teeth can be a great downgrade for an adult. While in children, these can align as they age, in adults, the chances of teeth alignment happening on its own are less.

Therefore, there is a need for ways to get crooked teeth corrected. Luckily, there are several modern-day methods to treat crooked teeth. Let us read ahead and explore some of these methods.

What are Crooked Teeth?

Crooked teeth are classified as unaligned teeth. In technical terms, this condition is known as malocclusion and includes minor misalignment and crowded teeth to those with spacing between them and protrusion.

Here is a brief list of types of crooked teeth!

Open bite: This is a crooked teeth condition where the upper and lower teeth do not come in contact with each other when you are biting down.
Overbite: In this condition, the upper teeth overlap with the lower teeth more than required. FYI, a normal overbite is necessary.
Underbite: Underbite is a condition where the lower set of teeth extends farther than the upper set of teeth.
Crossbite: A crossbite is a condition where the upper teeth do not exactly align with the lower teeth.
Deep bite: This dental condition arises when the upper front teeth overlap with the lower front teeth. In this, the back teeth are completely closed.
Excessive spacing: If a person has a jaw larger than required for all the teeth, they may have this dental condition.
Crowding: This is a scenario where there is not enough space in your mouth for the teeth. The teeth start overlapping with each other.

Causes of Crooked Teeth

There are several factors that can lead to crooked teeth. Let us look at some of those factors!

Food: This may seem a bit odd, but if soft and processed food is consumed for a long time, it can affect the size of the jaw. The reduced chewing abilities of the teeth can lead to a small jaw, leading to crowded, crooked, or misaligned teeth.
Repetitive habits: In babies and adults, some repetitive habits also affect the teeth. For example, sucking a thumb or a pacifier, mouth breathing, and tongue thrusting can lead to crooked teeth.
Genetics: Crooked teeth can also be due to genetics. If one or more parents have crooked teeth, the child may have them.
Facial injury: An injury to the face can push the teeth out of their place and lead to crooked teeth.
Bad dental care: It is important not to miss a yearly visit to the dentist. Failing to do so may result in developing a dental issue, causing misaligned, crooked, or crowded teeth.

Treatment of Crooked Teeth

Crooked teeth can be treated in various ways. Here are a few of them.

Braces - Braces are fixed or removable aligners that help in realigning the teeth over a long time. It can take months and maybe even years to realign teeth with braces, but they are worth the wait.

- Metal braces: Metal braces are the best and the most common treatment for misaligned teeth. They are fitted to put pressure on the teeth with the help of an orthodontic wire and a dental adhesive.

- Ceramic Braces: Almost like metal braces, have the same role and structure but with different materials. Ceramic, tooth-coloured braces are used to align the teeth, and they are almost unnoticeable.

Invisalign: These are the most convenient and easy-to-use options. Invisalign are invisible aligners that are not attached to the teeth and can be removed anytime. Further, these aligners help in easily shifting the teeth in very small increments. Dentists advise wearing them for 22 hours a day.

Veneers -Veneers are another innovative way to deal with slightly misshaped or crooked teeth. Veneers are thin teeth disguised as made of porcelain material. The best thing about them is that they cannot be distinguished when placed on the teeth. Moreover, they make your teeth look aesthetic and white. A downside of veneers is that some of the teeth' surface might have to be removed to fit on the teeth.

Crowns - This is not a preferred method for crooked teeth as it requires a lot of teeth restructuring. However, if any patient has tooth decay or a broken tooth, then it can be helpful. Dentists treat the decay and use porcelain crowns to add on top of the broken tooth, and the teeth function like the original ones.

Dental Implants - In this, the dentist entirely replaces your crooked teeth from the root to the crown. Dental implants made from Titanium are anchored into the jawbone, followed by an abutment and a crown on the top.

Conclusion

Crooked teeth are not just a drawback for your personal life, but they may also be a deal breaker professionally. Therefore, it is best to treat them as fast as you can. All the ways to deal with crooked teeth are good, but you must consult your dentist for the best advice.