Arctic Smiles Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment straightens the teeth and enhances your smile. There are several signs you need orthodontic treatment. Listed below are some of these signs.

You Have Crowded or Crooked Teeth.

Crowded teeth are a common reason why patients seek orthodontic treatment, but you don’t need to have severely overlapping teeth to see an orthodontist for an evaluation. We believe that everyone can benefit from braces or other orthodontic appliances, even when they only have a slight unevenness between their teeth. This can lead to difficulty with biting and chewing food properly and thus put the smile at risk for damage.

Even if you only have a slight overlap of your teeth, however, it’s wise to visit us for a consultation to be sure you don’t need treatment for a more serious problem that could prevent you from ever getting a straighter smile. For example, if you only have a very slight overlap, it’s possible that your tooth roots didn’t develop correctly when you were a child. In this case, your root could be growing into your gums and creating pockets in which plaque and bacteria can hide and cause gum disease. Otherwise, you may have less than one millimeter of space between your upper and lower teeth. If this space is even smaller, you may need to wear braces to correct misalignment and prevent issues with speech due to crowding.

Other issues that could lead to overcrowding include thumb sucking and tongue thrusting. In children, these issues can cause the teeth to become misaligned as children grow, leading to crowded adult teeth. If you have persistent problems with any of these habits, it’s important to visit our office for an orthodontic evaluation to determine if you need treatment now to avoid more serious issues in the future.

Your Teeth Are Gapped or Overlapped.

Gaps, called diastemas, can occur in your teeth if they aren’t aligned properly. They can also occur between teeth if the jaw is too narrow or if teeth are too big for the space in your mouth. Crowded teeth, on the other hand, happen when there isn’t enough room in the mouth for all your teeth to fit normally. This can be caused by having extra teeth that are blocking the others from coming in correctly.

While gaps and crowding are both common conditions, they can both affect the way you smile, chew and eat your food, as well as the health of your gums and the underlying bone structure of your mouth. They can also cause extra pressure to be put on your other teeth leading to problems with your bite and TMJ issues. For these reasons, it’s important that they are treated early on by a professional orthodontist.

You Have Difficulty Chewing or Biting.

Difficulty chewing or biting can be a sign of alignment problems. Issues like overbites and underbites can create significant disruptions to your bite, which can make eating difficult or even painful. If you are experiencing this kind of issue, you should see an orthodontist right away. Waiting too long can exacerbate the problem and make your condition and treatment more expensive and time-consuming. 

Your Jaw Has Shifted Out of Alignment.

If your upper teeth cover more than your lower teeth when you bite down, this is a sign of crooked or misaligned teeth. You may also feel extreme discomfort when the teeth are clenched together or when chewing.

To avoid further misalignment of your jaw and to create a comfortable bite, you should seek orthodontic treatment as soon as possible. Ignoring the problem can lead to permanent damage to your teeth.

Your Teeth Have Shifted Since Wearing Braces.

When the teeth are out of alignment, it can cause problems like headaches or jaw pain. Depending on what type of orthodontic work you have done in the past, your teeth may have shifted back into their original position. 

Get in touch with Arctic Smiles Orthodontics at 12020 E Shea Blvd Suite 10, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, or call (480) 614-2211 to schedule an appointment.

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