The thing is, most patients seeking orthodontic treatment auburn, especially adults, only do so if they have extreme cases of crowding, jaw misalignment, or tooth rotation. However, you might be wondering exactly what to do about a slight case of one or two crooked teeth, inward, outward, or in any way. How can you fix slightly crooked teeth? Will your treatment take too long?

Healthy bites with slightly crooked teeth are usually reasons why many patients decide to forego orthodontic care. Many adults believe wearing braces for over a year seems a bit extreme. The decision is only harder if any uneven teeth compromise the look of your smile only slightly. Not enough that everyone sees it, but just enough that you know it’s there.

Fortunately, as the best orthodontist in Sacramento, CA patients can find, Dr. Markham and his team know how to help patients of any age by offering several tailored options for your orthodontic treatment that account for your goals and needs.

We could treat isolated cases of crooked front teeth with innovative appliances, such as Invisalign® clear aligners, which are virtually unnoticeable to prying eyes. And even if your budget and preference gravitate towards traditional metal braces, we can use accelerators to seed the changes much more efficiently.

Let’s check out a bit more information about what is the main cause of crooked teeth, how your oral care might change due to your orthodontic condition, and what happens after a complete consultation with Natomas’s best orthodontic team.

What Is the Main Cause of Crooked Front Teeth?

If you have one or two crooked teeth, it is most likely the result of overcrowding or a narrow palate. When your teeth do not have enough room, the nearby teeth will push them to the front or back of your smile.

It’s also possible that your teeth moved around after you prematurely lost a baby tooth or permanent one. After such a tooth loss, your surrounding teeth will move in towards the open space causing additional malalignment and potentially rotating the teeth, giving you crooked teeth.

Other, less common reasons for misalignment:

• Thumb sucking at a late age after a baby has started to teeth,
• An improper swallowing reflex that causes the tongue to push forward on the front teeth,
• Overly large teeth.

Can We Get Crooked Teeth Hereditary?

Dental malocclusions, that is to say, tooth misalignment, are most often hereditary. What we’re trying to say here is that if your parents, grandparents, or close relatives suffer from these orthodontic conditions, it’s very likely that you or your children will suffer from them as well.

As we mentioned before, some individuals may suffer from a congenital disease, so abnormal bite patterns, irregular growth of upper and lower jaws, cleft lip, or palate can all lead to crooked teeth.

Can Invisalign Clear Aligners Straighten Slightly Crooked Teeth?

We often recommend Invisalign for minor to moderate orthodontic issues, such as isolated crooked teeth. This treatment is subtler than standard braces, and it often takes less time to complete, especially when you do not need to correct your entire bite.

In fact, in some cases, Invisalign can take as little as six weeks.

Keep in mind that most viable Invisalign patients only face minor cases of orthodontic problems. Adults and teenagers with more severe cases of dental malalignment and jaw malocclusions may also use Invisalign but will equally require additional attachments. That’s a discussion for another time as we’re dealing primarily with cases of a pair of crooked teeth.

If we determine that you are a suitable Invisalign candidate, we will take digital impressions of your teeth. Then we will use these images to design clear aligners on the computer, varying the shape to match the gradual shift of your teeth.

An Invisalign lab will use the molds to create your aligners from clear plastic that will be almost impossible to see. In most cases, you will wear each set of aligner trays for two weeks. Depending on how you respond, you may require additional trays or additional treatment time.

Make sure you ask your orthodontist about the expected treatment length and plan accordingly.

Traditional Braces and Accelerators

If your teeth are severely out of line, we may suggest traditional braces instead. Stainless steel braces and other types of conventional orthodontic appliances are extremely reliable and durable, perfect for your ortho treatment. We also offer clear braces in Sacramento. Even though they use brackets and wires, they are much more discreet than metal.

However, many patients may relieve their initial concerns about treatment length with conventional braces, even in these cases. Fortunately, our team has an ace up our sleeve. You’ll see there are several ways that we can make your orthodontic care easier.

We can also speed up your treatment time with state-of-the-art AcceleDent® or the PROPEL system. These treatments use tiny electrical pulses to vibrate teeth and stimulate the nearby bone.

The additional motion helps seed the changes faster and encourages teeth movement. If you use them according to your dentist’s instructions, you can shorten treatment time by up to 60 percent!

What Are the Benefits of Fixing Slightly Crooked Teeth?

Although one or two uneven teeth might seem like a minor concern, orthodontic treatment is very important.

First, of course, it can greatly improve your appearance. Often, isolated uneven teeth can draw attention away from your other facial features, making your entire smile look out of line.

In some cases, they can also cause you to look childlike or older than you actually are.

Second, orthodontic care can also improve your oral health. Overlapping teeth often trap bacteria, and they are very difficult to clean. Therefore, Invisalign or braces can reduce your risk for decay, discoloration, and gum disease.

There are additional relationships between your oral health and heart disease, so ensuring your dental health is as optimal as possible will greatly benefit patients of all ages.

Further, a single crooked tooth can offset the force of your entire bite, causing pressure on isolated teeth. You could eventually suffer from dental erosion, a cracked tooth, or TMJ disorder without the appropriate care.

Finally, you might also feel some relief when considering that correcting crooked or malaligned dental structures helps improve some speech difficulties. As someone struggles with speech impediments, they will certainly appreciate overcoming those issues and enjoying a more relaxed feel when interacting with school or workmates.

Contact Us for a Straight, Beautiful Smile

Correcting your crooked one or two teeth can be an easy and quick process with lifelong benefits. Contact Markham Orthodontics online to schedule an appointment. You can also learn more about your treatment options when you call (916) 924-8970.