Unexpectedly many teeth and dentures of children (but also still in many adults), the latest studies of dentistry revealed, are crooked or poorly formed, so that they urgently need orthodontic treatment. If the treatment starts in time, it is almost always possible with simple means to steer the disturbed growth into normal paths. Such treatment does not hurt.
Treatment by braces and brackets
If orthodontic treatment begins in time, it is almost always possible by simple means to direct the disturbed growth of the teeth into normal channels. But even in adulthood crooked teeth can be straightened with brackets, even if here the health insurance often pays nothing more to it and the adult himself must pay for beautiful and straight teeth. But the result is worth the money in any case. Straight and beautiful teeth not only increase self-confidence, but also allow a beautiful and honest laugh, without having to hold your hand in front of crooked and crooked teeth. During orthodontic treatment, a cast of the teeth is first taken with an impression tray and plaster in order to be able to accurately determine all misalignments and to initiate an individual treatment. The dreaded drill or drilling of the teeth is usually not used, so there is no need to fear pain. Although such orthodontic treatment can often take several years (often two years) for children. Monthly or, in the beginning, fortnightly, the small braces or brackets have to be readjusted due to the almost imperceptible changes taking place in the jaw. However, if the dentist cares about the health of his small and large patients, and the patients themselves have the will to wear these brackets or braces, then in the end not only the patients but also parents, friends and relatives will be pleased with a perfectly formed even set of teeth or teeth that cause little worry throughout life.
Complications
Various complications can occur in patients with crooked teeth. In most cases, the crooked teeth grow in a flat direction. This results in them pushing against other, possibly healthy, teeth, causing them to shift as well. Here the patient may experience pain, the teeth are crooked, resulting in decreased aesthetics. However, in most cases crooked teeth can be treated, so there are no particular complications. The treatment takes place with braces. These are usually fitted to the patient at a young age. In the beginning, most patients experience severe pain and an unpleasant feeling on their teeth. With time, the teeth become straighter as they are moved back together by the force of the braces. In this case, no complications occur. If not treated, later in adulthood some of the teeth may well need to be removed as they press very hard against the others, causing severe pain. At this age, it is no longer possible to put the teeth back in a straight position and they have to be removed from the patient. An implant can then be placed in the place of the removed tooth. This usually involves a relatively high cost.
When should you go to the doctor?
As a rule, crooked teeth are not a medical complication that necessarily needs to be treated. If the crooked teeth do not bother the patient and do not lead to any other complaints, it is not necessary to see a doctor. The visit to the doctor is necessary if the patient feels uncomfortable with the crooked teeth and it results in inferiority complexes or decreased self-confidence. In these cases, surgical procedures can be performed to correct the problem and fix the misalignment of the teeth. A medical examination is necessary when there is pain in the teeth or gums. It is not necessarily the teeth that are crooked that hurt. In many cases, the neighboring teeth are also severely affected, so that the patient suffers from severe pain at rest or pain when eating or drinking. As a rule, this pain does not disappear by itself and must be treated by a dentist. The dentist is always the first point of contact in these cases.In addition, a visit to the doctor is necessary if the crooked teeth have an impact on the musculoskeletal system and lead to posture problems. In this case, the advice or treatment of an orthodontist should be sought.
Crooked teeth without treatment cause tooth decay and inflammation
However, if crooked and crooked teeth are left untreated, even if it is just a single crooked tooth, not only is the facial expression and smile often unattractive. Crooked teeth also often cause more tooth decay and mouth rot, as the person concerned cannot brush their teeth as thoroughly as with straight and even teeth. Food residues and plaque thus remain longer in corners and grooves and, in addition to the aforementioned caries, often also form an unpleasant bad breath. Furthermore, crooked teeth can also cause further deformities in the future, as regrowing teeth can push into existing gaps without meeting resistance. On the basis of a case I would like to give you some hints what you should pay attention to. If you want to know whether you have a well-grown set of teeth with which you can chew well, look at the position of the incisors in relation to each other. If the upper incisors cover the lower ones only a little bit, then you can be pretty sure that everything else is fine. However, if the upper front teeth overlap the lower ones to a large extent, and if there is possibly a larger space between the two rows of teeth, then you must expect that all other jaw dimensions are also incorrect. Unfortunately, with this realization, the urgently needed treatment does not start very often. Then it is not surprising if, for example, the gums become inflamed as a result of crooked teeth. Now some will say that a single crooked tooth does not need treatment. But it is not just a little bit wrong, it touches the gum line of the lower jaw. All the other upper front teeth form quite a substantial horizontal step with the lower ones. The lower anterior teeth bite into the front palatal slope of the upper jaw when they bite. Consequence: gingivitis, upgrowth of the lower front teeth and associated tooth loosening. Further consequences: complete blocking of the chewing function. The lower jaw has been compressed by the palatally displaced incisor by a full tooth width backward into the temporomandibular joint. As a result, the normal chewing movement has become impossible, only imperfect chewing movements can be performed. The dentition was severely affected by caries due to lack of self-cleaning and due to food residues that always get stuck in the niches. Such a case can be corrected even in adulthood by maintenance and orthodontic measures. For many patients, a filling or a tooth extraction is enough to eliminate this condition. However, it should be mentioned that this only relieves the symptoms for a short period of time, but the cause of a crooked jaw still remains and more teeth can become crooked over time, so that the same suffering starts again. Of course, not all damage can be repaired with orthopedic treatment. Unfortunately, the modern food industry takes away most of our chewing activity, and without intensive chewing, every chewing organ must atrophy. There is still the pacifier, which bends the soft child’s jaw and, even worse, the sucking finger or thumb sucker. But what do crooked teeth actually have to do with tooth decay, bad breath and tooth decay? Bacteria and acids that cause caries can attack even the straightest teeth. Without a doubt, yes, but it can be said that a well formed set of teeth, which is able to fulfill the tasks assigned to it by nature and whose natural self-cleaning is not hindered by deformities, is much less likely to succumb in the battle with the forces assaulting the teeth than a malformed set. These findings are by no means new. However, it is sometimes a long way from this knowledge to the establishment of a necessary orthopedic prophylactic treatment. The insight that preventing disease is better and easier than curing disease became the basis of our modern dentistry.
Outlook and prognosis
Crooked teeth can be treated relatively well in most cases. Complications rarely occur during the treatment itself. However, the crooked teeth should be treated at a young age.Here the doctor can still straighten the teeth with braces and thus avoid crooked teeth at an older age. Braces can also be used for adults, but they do not lead to such an easy success as in younger people. There are no other complications during the treatment with braces. However, there may be pain after putting on the braces and after taking them off. Crooked teeth in adults can be treated with the help of surgery or removed completely. Often, these teeth are then replaced with dentures or implants so that there is no hole in the mouth. If the crooked teeth are not treated, they can cause pain or inflammation if they press on other teeth that are next to them as they grow. In such cases, the doctor must surgically straighten the crooked teeth or remove them completely. However, if treated early, there will be no further problems.
What you can do yourself
In most cases, it is not possible to treat crooked teeth using only home remedies. Most often, this requires wearing braces or surgical intervention. However, the crooked teeth can be avoided in general. The patient should avoid sleeping on the stomach. Also, the face of the affected person should not be slumped on the hands, as this also increases the crooked teeth. Especially in children, it is important to get out of the habit of sucking the thumb and other objects. In any case, the patient should have the wisdom teeth removed if they are disturbing the oral cavity. This requires regular check-ups with the dentist. The dentist can determine the right time and thus prevent the formation of the crooked teeth. For a general health of the teeth, daily care is important. This includes brushing and using dental floss and mouthwash. This can prevent symptoms that can lead to the crooked teeth. Braces can be used on both children and adults. To avoid crooked teeth, children should get braces at a young age if there is a need for it. Here, parents in particular must pay attention to regular visits to the dentist.