Have you ever wondered why you needed braces but your brother and sisters didn’t? You might think that if you had crooked teeth so would your whole family. There are several reasons someone might have crooked teeth, and heredity is only one of them. Regardless of why your teeth are crooked, having crooked teeth can be embarrassing. Crooked teeth can contribute to low self-esteem, more tooth decay, and other oral and psychological problems. In today’s blog we crack the mystery of crooked teeth.
Why Are Your Teeth Crooked?
At one time it was held that having teeth that were too big for your mouth was what caused crooked teeth. That may be one reason but it is not the only reason for developing crooked teeth. Reasons for developing crooked teeth include:
Thumb Sucking: If as a child you sucked your thumb past the age of six this could have caused your permanent teeth to come in crooked.
Tongue Thrust: A tongue thrust is when your tongue pushes forward when you swallow. This constant force against your front teeth could have caused “buck” or crooked teeth.
Premature Tooth Loss: When a tooth falls out too early the surrounding teeth have a tendency to try to fill in the remaining space. Adjacent teeth can begin to shift or lean taking up the space reserved for the new tooth. This can cause permanent teeth to erupt in a crooked fashion.
Heredity: Crooked teeth can be passed down through generations.
If heredity is not what is causing crooked teeth in your family help your child avoid developing crooked teeth by discouraging thumb sucking, mouth breathing, and tongue thrusting. If they lose a baby tooth too early, space maintainers prevent adjacent teeth from moving into that space. Space maintainers are designed to keep the remaining teeth from shifting or tilting while saving the space for the permanent tooth.
ABOUT YOUR SHERIDAN DENTISTS:
Questions about our Sheridan, WY dentist office? To learn more about our services, or to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, contact us at (307) 672-7567. We welcome residents of Sheridan, Gillette, Billings, Miles City, and the neighboring communities.
