Teeth straightening in orthodontics

Category: Braces · 18 January 2019

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry. It deals with the treatment of anomalies of the teeth and jaws. In this article you will learn, firstly, how misaligned jaws and teeth develop. Secondly, we describe how orthodontic corrections and teeth straightening can help a patient go through life with a beautiful smile.

How do misaligned teeth and jaws develop?

Misaligned jaws and teeth are either congenital or can develop later in life.

Typical congenital malocclusions are:

Crowding: teeth are rotated, tilted or break out of the dental arch because there isn’t enough room in the jaw.
Overbite: the upper incisors protrude beyond the lower jaw (also known as “buck teeth” or a receding chin).
Deep bite: the upper incisors bite down too far, and the lower ones reach up too high.
Lower jaw too large: the teeth of the upper jaw sit behind those of the lower jaw (protruding chin).
Open bite: the rows of teeth gape apart at the front when biting.
Crossbite: some of the lower teeth protrude sideways beyond the upper teeth.
Diastema: there is a large gap between the central incisors, especially in the upper jaw.
Displaced, missing or extra teeth: teeth are missing, or don’t erupt and remain in the jawbone.

All these malocclusions should be closely monitored and treated orthodontically.

Malocclusions in young children

Children can develop misaligned teeth as a result of habits and certain circumstances. These include:

Premature loss of baby teeth

Even young children can get tooth decay. If they lose their baby teeth as a result, problems can arise in the development of the teeth.

If some baby teeth are missing, the upper and lower jaws come too close together because the necessary support is lacking. The lower jaw can slip downwards and push the incisors forwards.

Malocclusions caused by sucking, thumb-sucking, etc.

excessive sucking on bottles or dummies
thumb-sucking
sucking in and biting (the lower lip)

The longer children over the age of two to three suck their thumbs, dummies, etc., the more this can affect their jaws and teeth. The consequences can be serious: the child can’t bite and chew properly, or a speech impediment develops.

What are jaw malocclusions in adults?

If the teeth don’t meet properly because of a misaligned jaw, the result is usually too little contact between the chewing surfaces of the upper and lower jaws.

This means that adults, too, can’t bite off or chew their food properly.

In children as well as adults, the teeth and jaw can be corrected at any time and problems with the position of the teeth improved.

This is particularly important if crooked or misaligned teeth can’t do their job properly, or if the person suffers because of how they look.

In our day-to-day practice we also find that evenly aligned teeth are less prone to tooth decay and periodontitis. Firstly, the teeth are easier to clean.

Secondly, irregular teeth give bacteria and plaque more opportunity to settle in hard-to-clean niches.

Remember: with orthodontic treatment we want to achieve two goals:

We want to enable the teeth to perform their function optimally, and to achieve an aesthetically perfect result.

Problem areas in the mouth

If this isn’t the case, problems can arise.

Inflammation and bleeding:
Inflammation and bleeding can result if certain malocclusions affect the position of the teeth in such a way that a person repeatedly bites their cheek, lips or tongue.

Speech disorders, throat conditions:
If a person can’t close their mouth properly, they breathe more through their mouth. This can cause speech disorders, but also susceptibility to colds and throat problems.

Conclusion: malocclusions in adults

Perfect teeth? Very rarely something you’re born with. Even with beautiful teeth, we find slight shifts or misalignments in almost everyone – but treatment isn’t always necessary.

What matters are regular check-ups, which show early on whether problems or pain may arise.

If reading this article has made you realise that you or your children have a problem, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’re here to help.

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