Understanding the underlying causes of misalignment can help you take steps toward a healthier, more confident smile. Here, our orthodontists in Surrey share some of the common causes of crooked teeth and what can be done to straighten them.
Understanding Why Teeth Become Crooked
If you've ever wondered why your teeth are not perfectly straight, you're not alone. Misaligned teeth are among the most common orthodontic concerns affecting children, teens and adults. Understanding the causes of crooked teeth is crucial because it helps with prevention, early identification of problems, and guiding effective orthodontic treatment when necessary.
Both genetics and lifestyle factors greatly influence how teeth develop and align over time. Some people inherit a genetic tendency for crowding or spacing issues, while others develop alignment problems due to childhood habits or environmental influences. Fortunately, modern orthodontics offers effective options for almost every type of misalignment.
When Crooked Teeth Run in the Family
Genetics is a key factor in misaligned teeth. Just as you inherit eye colour and height from your parents, you also inherit dental traits that affect tooth alignment. These inherited traits include jaw size, tooth size, and the available space in your mouth for teeth to properly emerge.
If you inherit a small jaw from one parent and larger teeth from the other, your mouth might not have enough space to fit all your teeth comfortably. This can cause crowding, with teeth overlapping or twisting as they attempt to fit into limited space. Or for those who inherit a large jaw with smaller teeth, it can lead to gaps and spacing issues.
Other genetic factors include the shape of your palate, the angle at which teeth naturally grow, and even the number of teeth you develop. Some people are born missing certain teeth, while others have extra teeth that can interfere with normal alignment patterns.
Even with excellent dental care and oral hygiene, genetic alignment problems can still happen. That's why regular orthodontic checkups are important. They enable early detection of hereditary patterns, allowing orthodontists to track growth and intervene at the right time if treatment is needed.
Childhood Habits That Affect Alignment
Certain childhood habits can greatly affect the development of teeth and jaws. When these behaviors persist over time, they can shift the natural alignment of teeth and change facial features.
Thumb Sucking
Thumb sucking is a common issue. When children continue to suck their thumbs or fingers past age four or five, the repetitive pressure can push front teeth outward and disrupt bite alignment. The habit's intensity and duration determine its impact on tooth positioning.
Pacifier Use
Extended pacifier use can change the shape of the palate and cause the front teeth to tilt forward or create an open bite, where the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly when biting down.
Tongue Thrusting
This happens when the tongue pushes against the front teeth during swallowing or at rest. Over time, this continuous pressure can lead to teeth shifting forward and causing spacing problems.
The good news is that early intervention can significantly improve outcomes. Pediatric dentists and orthodontists can suggest habit-correction strategies and appliances to help children break these patterns before permanent damage occurs. The sooner these habits are addressed, the better the long-term dental health results.
Early or Late Loss of Baby Teeth
Baby teeth serve an important role beyond just helping children chew. They act as natural placeholders, preserving the space needed for permanent teeth to emerge in the correct positions. When baby teeth are lost too early or remain in place too long, it can interfere with this carefully planned process.
Losing baby teeth early, whether from decay, injury, or extraction, can cause serious alignment issues. When a baby tooth falls out prematurely, nearby teeth tend to move into the empty space, reducing the room for the permanent tooth to come in. This can lead to the permanent tooth erupting misaligned or becoming impacted.
Delayed loss of baby teeth causes the opposite issue. If a baby tooth doesn't fall out on time, it can block the permanent tooth from coming in correctly or cause it to erupt at an awkward angle, leading to misalignment.
Regular dental check-ups during childhood help dentists monitor eruption patterns closely. If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the dentist might suggest using space maintainers, which are small devices that keep the gap open until the permanent tooth comes in. This simple step can help prevent more complicated orthodontic issues later on.
Oral Health Habits & Factors
Apart from genetics and habits, various health factors can also lead to crooked teeth.
Tooth Decay & Gum Disease
Severe decay might require early tooth extraction, which can cause the shifting issues mentioned earlier. Gum disease can weaken the bone and tissues supporting the teeth, allowing them to drift out of place over time.
Injury or Trauma
Injuries can immediately affect the position of the teeth or change jaw growth patterns, especially in children whose bones are still developing. A blow to the face during sports or an accident can knock teeth loose or damage the tooth buds that form permanent teeth, leading to alignment issues later.
Mouth Breathing
Excessive mouth breathing is frequently overlooked as a cause of crooked teeth. Children who habitually breathe through their mouths instead of their noses may develop narrow palates and elongated facial features. This ongoing mouth breathing can influence facial and jaw growth, which might result in open bites, overbites, or crossbites.
Other factors include inadequate nutrition during key developmental stages and specific medical conditions that impact bone growth. Consistently practicing good oral hygiene, promptly treating dental problems, and addressing breathing issues can all help reduce these environmental risks.
Developmental & Structural Influences
Sometimes, crooked teeth stem from the underlying structure and development of the jaw itself. These skeletal factors often need orthodontic expertise for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Uneven jaw growth is a common structural concern. When the upper and lower jaws do not develop proportionally or at the same rate, it can lead to overbites (upper teeth jutting forward), underbites (lower jaw extending beyond the upper), or crossbites (where some upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth when biting down).
Poor posture and muscle habits can also lead to jaw misalignment over time. For example, chronic forward head posture can impact the function of the jaw muscles and may influence jaw positioning.
Orthodontists use a range of diagnostic tools, including X-rays, digital scans, and photographs, to thoroughly assess these structural factors. By understanding what is happening beneath the surface, they can create customized treatment plans that address not just the position of teeth but also the fundamental jaw structure that supports them.
The Importance of Early Dental Checkups
The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation around age seven. By this time, enough permanent teeth have emerged to identify potential problems, yet the jaw is still growing and responsive to guidance.
Early orthodontic assessment can identify issues before they become worse. Orthodontists can influence jaw development, create space for emerging teeth, and correct harmful habits before they cause permanent harm. In many cases, early intervention with phase one treatment can lessen the need for more extensive procedures later or even prevent the need for tooth extractions.
It's important to remember that orthodontic care isn't only for children. Adults also gain significant benefits from orthodontic treatment. Whether you're managing lifelong alignment concerns or teeth that have shifted over time, it's never too late to enhance your alignment and oral health.
The Path to a Healthier Smile
Although crooked teeth are very common, modern orthodontic treatments now offer more effective, comfortable, and discreet options than ever. From traditional braces to clear aligners and other solutions, there are choices to suit every lifestyle and preference.