What Causes Crowded Teeth?

Malocclusion, also referred to as tooth crowding or crowded teeth, happens when there isn’t enough space inside the mouth for permanent teeth to grow straight. This can lead to teeth growing in at an angle, crooked, and overlapping. There are various degrees of tooth crowding ranging from mild to severe. In some cases, one or two teeth are affected. In others, nearly all of the teeth can be impacted by the lack of space.

Crowded teeth can be caused by several different factors.

In some cases, crowded teeth can be caused by genetically bigger teeth in tandem with smaller palates. In others, early loss of a primary (baby) tooth can leave behind an empty space that other teeth may shift towards to fill. Over-retaining baby teeth can also lead to adult teeth growing twisted or crooked. Our upper and lower jaws are meant to fit together perfectly. When this isn’t the case (namely, when misaligned teeth keep this from happening) there are several ways it impacts our overall health.

In addition to an increased risk for gum disease and cavities, individuals with crowded teeth are more susceptible to:

– Tooth sensitivity

– Teeth grinding

– TMJ disorders

– Headaches, and

– Trouble chewing

Misaligned teeth can cause one side of your jaw to experience use, leading to soreness and other issues. Signs of a TMJ issue include jaw pain, frequent headaches, neck pain, and popping in the jaw.

How Our Jaws Changed

Over the years our jaw formation has changed drastically. In the past, mothers breastfed their children longer, allowing the child to develop proper tongue placement along the roof of their mouth. This proper tongue placement is key to the upper maxilla (jaw) expanding and growing towards it’s natural, genetic potential. In addition to this, the softer foods common in our Western diet nowadays has led to a decreased use and exercise of our jaw muscles, further keeping the jaw from developing as it has in the past.

Without proper tongue placement and jaw muscles developing the same way they have in the past; our jaws haven’t had the ability to develop properly and provide adequate space for teeth to grow straight. This is often what can lead to issues of crowding and misalignment.

Traditional Treatments

Traditional dentistry has several techniques for treating malocclusion such as with orthodontics (brackets and wires and Invisalign®) and surgical jaw procedures. While orthodontics provides straight teeth and beautiful smiles, and surgical procedures align the jaw and may open the airway, a more conservative approach may be to guide growth first, possibly minimizing or eliminating the need for traditional methods for alignment of the teeth and jaw, as well as airway development. This method may be especially beneficial for mild to moderate cases.

HealthyStart ® and Vivos® Oral Appliance Therapy to Correct Malocclusion

At Ecologic Dentistry we offer several options to help address issues of overcrowding. The best way to fix an issue is to keep it from becoming a problem in the first place. HealthyStart® and Vivos® aims to do just this. HealthyStart ® and Vivos® oral appliances are designed for children to guide growth out of malocclusion while at the same time promoting healthy breathing habits. These devices encourage proper tongue placement and breathing properly, through the nose. This proper tongue placement helps guide the jaw towards natural expansion, creating enough room for future teeth to grow in straight.

For those of us who already have adult teeth with malocclusion, Vivos ® oral appliance therapy assists in growing our jaw towards it’s genetic potential to create more room in the mouth for teeth to unravel and align while promoting a healthy airway.

To see if HealthyStart ® or Vivos® oral appliance therapies are right for you, join our free online

presentation; GROW, BREATHE, SLEEP, BREATHE or call us for a consultation with Dr. Yamashiro today.