1) Why it is caused?
Crooked teeth are also known as Misaligned teeth/ malocclusion due to the size of the upper or lower jaw being small than usual compared to teeth size
- Thumb sucking
- Tongue thrusting
- Size of the jaw of teeth size ratio
- Genetics
- Facial injury
- Prolonged bottle feeding
- Poor dental hygiene
- Growth/developmental anomalies
- Malnutrition
- Early tooth loss
- Mouth breathing
- Myofunctional disorders
2) How to prevent it?
- Stopping habits(thumb sucking, mouth breathing, prolonged bottle feeding, etc)
- Promote great oral hygiene
- Prevent missing teeth
- Diet maintenance
- Checking up family history
- Identifying it early
3) When to for treatment?
- Abnormal alignment of teeth
- Difficulty or discomfort when chewing or biting
- Periodontal(gum) disease
- Excess wear of teeth surface
- Low self-esteem
- Speech difficulty
- Halitosis(bad breath)
4) What is the treatment? What is done in treatment?
Permanent
- Correction of habit: correction of mouth breathing thumb sucking, tongue thrusting by using various orthodontic appliances followed by braces
- Braces: orthodontics appliances that consist of braces bonds &wires a constant pressure is applied on teeth &jaw over a period causing moving & alignment of teeth
- Invisalign: invisible braces
– Clear & transparent trays that are custom created to fit over teeth
– Used until designed alignment is achieved - Dental crowns: in missing teeth, placed on top of natural tooth structure
Temporary
- Dental veneers: when only mild misalignment of teeth that tooth surfaces are corrected by a thin porcelain layer
Post-operative care:
- Avoid sticky chewy while treatment
- Brushing twice daily
- Regular dental visits
- Avoid hard foods while treatment