There are several reasons why people have misaligned teeth. It can be due to genetics, oral habits, poor dental hygiene, or malnutrition. Sometimes, however, overbites, crooked teeth, and underbites are caused by acquired traits. But there are instances when people tend to neglect these issues, causing them to get worse. To understand how a person’s teeth shifts and before you go to an orthodontist to get braces and gold-plated retainer wires, it is best to know the reasons behind it.
Oral Habits
One of the reasons why people develop misaligned or crooked teeth is a few unnecessary oral habits when they were children. Prolonged thumb sucking or pacifier use can cause a child to develop crooked teeth when they mature. Thus, before it happens, a dentist may recommend various orthodontic treatments to you. They can choose which one will straighten their teeth and correct any misaligned ones.
Genetics
If most of your family members have crooked teeth, then you’ll have a very slim chance to prevent your teeth from shifting in the wrong direction. That’s because your biological makeup indicates that you will experience some level of misalignment. If this is the case, then it is best to let your child see a dentist. Speak to your dentist regularly. Let them know about the chances of developing crooked teeth. Doing so will give them enough time to look for early signs of malocclusion. Even more, it will also give him a chance to see any appearance of abnormal bite pattern.
Injuries
As expected, injuries to the mouth area can also cause a few problems with the alignment of a person’s teeth. If a person suffers from a severe jaw injury, there is a considerable chance that they will need to undergo dental treatments for teeth misalignment in the future. Also, sports injury poses a higher risk of getting physical damage that can also lead to crooked teeth.
Growths and Tumors
Other factors that can cause your teeth to shift are growths and tumors. The appearance of a large tumor or any other type of growth in a person’s mouth can lead to misalignment of teeth. The good news is that most dentists can solve these problems through early detection. Hence, make sure that you let your doctor know of any development of growth in your mouth as soon as possible.
Irregular Tooth Development
Although parents can prevent the misalignment of their children’s teeth by discouraging them from thumb sucking, there is not much that they can do if their children develop irregular tooth development. That said, parents and guardians should take their children to the dentist, especially during their children’s early years. Doing so helps the dentist track abnormal tooth development and treat it.
Most people who have mildly crooked teeth don’t need to undergo any treatment. But if your malocclusion is severe, your orthodontist may recommend a few dental procedures. They may ask you to wear braces for a while before they let you get retainers to give you a unique smile.
