Crowded Teeth Explained

A frequent complaint by Bronxites is crowded teeth that produce an unhappy smile. Why are crowded teeth a common problem? What is the best solution for fixing them?

What Causes Crowded Teeth?

There are three major causes of crowded teeth and all of them can be solved with the dental art oforthodontics. These causes are:

• Improperly shaped arches,
• Large teeth with small jaws,
• Roots out of position.

Note that there is no mention of too many teeth. While removing the third molars, or wisdom teeth, is commonly necessary due to impacted teeth, all of the other teeth usually erupt normally and should fit in a properly sized jaw. Many dentists and orthodontists still extract teeth to solve crowding, but there are other dental professionals who prefer not to follow the usual procedures.

Solving the Cause, Not the Symptom

Crowded teeth are a symptom of one or more of the three causes mentioned above. Simply removing a tooth and reshaping others to preserve the look of a normal smile only deals with the symptom, not the “root”cause. Extraction also leaves behind a hole that somewhat complicates the ensuing orthodontic procedure. When orthodontic principles are applied to the causes, the teeth are readily moved into their proper position and orientation to one another.

For example, jaws should basically be in a flared U-shape, but when crowded teeth are present the jaw is often V-shaped or omega-shaped. Widening the jaw to its ideal shape provides the room needed for a normal smile. When roots are tilted out of vertical, they do not properly deal with the forces caused by chewing, often becoming more twisted over time. Aligning the roots properly with the jaw usually opens up more space for neighboring teeth, again fixing the issue of crowding. Note that all of these corrections do not require removing teeth, outside of the aforementioned impacted wisdom teeth.

Contact your dental professional to discuss the different methods and the science behind orthodontics. This opens up more options for patients in regards to time of treatment, cost, and convenience. Standard braces, Invisalign clear plastic aligners, Propel and the novel DNA appliance system are available at most dental offices.