Crowding and Spacing Correction
Crowding and spacing issues boil down to your teeth not fitting in your mouth correctly, whether there is too little space or too much.
Crowding Of Teeth
Crowding is when there isn’t enough room within the jaws for all the teeth to fit normally. The teeth may be twisted or displaced. Crowding happens when the size of the teeth doesn’t match the size of the jaw or when the teeth are bigger than the space available. Crowding can be caused by losing baby teeth too early or too late or by teeth coming in the wrong way.
If the crowding within the mouth is severe, an expander may be the ideal treatment choice, allowing the jaw to widen and creating more space in the mouth. For minor cases of crowding, metal braces or clear aligners do a wonderful job of slowly readjusting the teeth and creating more space.
Spacing Of Teeth
Spacing of the teeth is the opposite of crowding. It means that there is too much space between your teeth, which makes gaps. This usually happens when the teeth are too small for the space. Spacing can also be caused by teeth that stick out, missing or stuck teeth, or abnormal attachments of gum tissue to the gums. Clear aligners are a popular treatment option for spacing.
If you or your child are dealing with crowding or spacing issues, contact us today to see the best treatment option for you.
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How are crowded teeth treated?
Over recent years, clear aligners have been the treatment of choice. In very mild cases of overcrowding, a fixed or removable retainer may be enough to fix the problem on its own. In moderate cases, veneers are sometimes used to fix cases. When the problem is severe, a dental expanding device may be needed. There are also times when a tooth is pulled out to make more room for the rest of the teeth.
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What are some causes of spacing issues?
There are many different factors when it comes to spacing issues.
- Natural skeletal development
- Extra teeth which push other teeth out of the correct position
- Missing teeth which creates large gaps
- Losing baby teeth too young so the adult teeth come in misaligned
- Small teeth don’t take up the proper amount of room
- Large jawbone creates too much room for teeth and causes gaps
- Too large of tongue which can cause the teeth to flare and creates spaces
More Questions?
If you have more questions about emergency dental care, please contact our office and we will be happy to discuss further.