Dental crowding, also referred to as teeth overcrowding is a kind of malocclusion. It is a dental issue which occurs when there is not sufficient space for teeth to grow in their definite place which causes a visible tooth overlap.
Dental crowding can be addressed through multiple orthodontic treatments depending on the severity and other categorical variants such as patient age, underlying condition and dental history.
Overcrowding can be categorized into three types depending on the severity:
- Mild: It is when only one tooth is misaligned on the upper or lower jaw.
- Moderate: Depending on the number of misaligned teeth. 3 to 4 count as moderate overcrowding.
- Severe: Severe overcrowding is when there are several misaligned teeth on both the jaws.
In this blog, we will dig deeper into the various treatments that address dental crowding. By the end of this blog, we hope that you can gauge the severity of your issue and choose the best option in your case. Let’s go!
Braces and Aligners:
One of the most popular dental treatments that come to mind when we talk about misaligned teeth, is braces. Traditional braces are a standard dental procedure to correct severe or moderate placement issues.
In this procedure, metal wires are attached to your teeth. This treatment typically ranges from 18 months to three years. There are several types of braces that you can choose from after talking to your doctor.
- Metal braces
- Ceramic braces
- Lingual braces
Invisalign:
Talking about orthodontic appliances, Invisalign is a second most common choice for treating mild to moderate cases of dental crowding. These are custom made, transparent, removable tray-like appliances that are effective in correcting the placement of misaligned teeth.
Tooth Extraction:
In cases of severe crowding, dentists often suggest tooth extraction in order to make space for proper alignment. It is often considered when orthodontic treatments are not sufficient.
Orthognathic Surgery:
Teeth overcrowding can be caused by issues with the jaw size and position. Orthognathic surgery is reserved for extreme cases for the repositioning of the jaw.
Non-surgical appliances used for jaw expansion include jaw palate expanders. This helps in expanding the patients jaw size in order to make space for overcrowded teeth.
Interproximal Reduction:
This is a quick, easy and painless process which involves shaving off excess enamel to alleviate any minor misalignment caused by overlaps and overcrowding.
Conclusive Remark
Having perfectly aligned teeth is being God’s most favorite soldier. But if you have a misaligned tooth, which is an extremely common dental issue, there are hundreds of treatments that can help foster a picture perfect smile for you.
Royalty Dental Associates strives to provide best, cost effective and durable care and services for any dental concerns or issues. For more information on this topic and thorough consultation, schedule an appointment with us on (281) 655-0500
