A set of teeth one is not proud of could affect ones confidence/self esteem. People who find themselves in this category rarely smile in photographs and are often reserved. They sometimes stand in front of the mirror wishing something could be done to correct their malaligned teeth.
The normal occlusion refers to the alignment of the teeth and the way the upper and lower teeth fit together in a uniform pattern(curve). Any deviation from this means the teeth are not well aligned, a condition known as malocclusion. The teeth can be tightly packed(crowded), spaced or some teeth displaced.
- Habits: childhood habits such as thumb sucking and tongue thrusting which continue beyond the age of 5/6 years(age at which the permanent teeth erupts i.e comes into the mouth) will give rise to Malaligned teeth.
- Early loss of Baby teeth: if a baby tooth is lost earlier than expected(maybe removed due to tooth decay) and the space is not maintained, the gap may close up leaving little space for the permanent teeth to come into. The result of this is teeth tightly packed together(crowded) or a single tooth displaced from the rest of the teeth.
- Having big teeth in a small jaw: the presence of large set of teeth in a small jaw could give rise to teeth tightly packed together. Most times, the small jaw may be inherited from the mother while the large set of teeth from the father.(hereditary)
- Small set of teeth in a big jaw: this will give rise to spaces between the teeth.
An Orthodontist is a dentist who corrects malaligned teeth. The orthodontist determines if you need braces or not. The use of Braces is not limited to children, adults also benefit from its use.
Photo credit: Rx smile and orthoclinique