Things You Can Do To Cause Dental Misalignment And How The Teeth Can Be Corrected

1 March 2017
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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Although some people naturally have crooked teeth, there are some things that people can do to cause their dental misalignment. Here are a few of those things and several orthodontic options to straighten the teeth:

Nail Biting

Nail biting can seem harmless enough, but it may cause the teeth to move out of proper position. Each time you bite your nails, a large amount of bite pressure is exerted. As a result, your teeth can shift out of place, especially if you push your nails between your teeth as you bite them.

Pressing your fingernail between your teeth can force closely set teeth further apart, resulting in gaps in your alignment.

Bruxism

Bruxism is the grinding of your teeth at night. You are likely unaware that the grinding is happening since the grinding occurs as you sleep, but the practice can shift teeth as the upper and lower palates grind back and forth laterally. 

Thumb Sucking

Kids who suck their thumbs after their permanent teeth erupt are more likely to suffer from dental misalignment and bite issues. As the thumb presses against the roof of a child's mouth, it pushes the front teeth forward. The back teeth are pushed backward at the same time. 

Thumb sucking is often associated with an overbite or cross bite. A cross bite occurs when the side teeth of the upper and lower jaws do not meet properly. An open bite, which occurs when the front top and bottom teeth fail to meet.

What are some orthodontic options to correct dental misalignment?

Her are a few common options for straightening the teeth:

  • Traditional Braces- Brackets are attached to the teeth and connected to an archwire using elastic bands. The archwire is regularly adjusted to exert the aligning force on the teeth.
  • Aligning Trays- Customized sets of clear plastic trays are worn to shift the teeth into position. Since the teeth shift progressively, a set of aligning trays is worn for a period and then replaced by the next set in the treatment plan.
  • Self-ligating Braces- Instead of using elastic bands to connect an archwire to the bracket of the braces, self-ligating braces include tiny holes within the brackets that keep the archwire in place. The archwire is fed through the holes, which resemble small tunnels.

To learn more about dental misalignment and the treatment options available to correct it, schedule an appointment with an orthodontist in your area. Visit sites like http://www.cresthillfamilydental.com for more information.