Crooked teeth are an aesthetic issue that can make you want to hide your smile instead of showing it off. But they can also cause a variety of oral health problems you may not have expected. Dr. Sahil Goyal of Columbia Family Dentist, a dentist in Columbia, MD, explains the importance of fixing your crooked teeth.
Aesthetic Problems
First, crooked teeth create an aesthetic problem. You may not want to show off your smile when you have crooked teeth and it can impact your confidence and self-esteem. Instead of relaxing and laughing freely when you’re around friends, you instead may be worried about trying to hide your smile.
Further Oral Health Issues
However, more importantly, crooked teeth can cause further oral health problems. Crooked teeth are often crowded and close together. This can make them more difficult to clean. It’s hard to brush and floss properly, getting into all of the spaces you need to when your teeth are crooked and cramped.
If you’re unable to get into these spaces with a brush or floss, that makes it more likely for food particles and bacteria to build up. This causes tooth decay, leading to dental cavities and possibly further problems. If tooth decay is left untreated when you have a cavity, the infection can spread and lead to the need for a root canal or even a tooth extraction if the infection is bad enough.
When your teeth are crooked, the gums also don’t align as well with the bone. You may have deeper pockets than normal that form in the gums. Bacteria and food particles build up in there, and the pockets become worse, pulling away from your teeth. This is what causes gum disease, leading to problems with bad breath, bleeding gums, and further problems if you let gum disease fester.
Correcting Crooked Teeth
At Columbia Family Dentist, Dr. Goyal offers Invisalign as a subtle way to fix crooked teeth. Invisalign can handle mild to moderately crooked teeth without the need to have full metal braces. Patients turn to Invisalign because the clear aligners used are practically invisible when they’re on the teeth. They can also be removed to eat, meaning no diet changes, and clean both the aligners and your teeth. Many people find them more comfortable than braces as well.
Invisalign uses from 12 to 48 clear aligners to slowly move your teeth into the proper position. These are customized for each patient using impressions of their teeth. The aligners are changed for new ones about every two weeks, gradually moving your teeth into the straight, proper alignment that you’re looking for.
Straightening Crooked Teeth With Your Columbia, Maryland Dentist
If your smile isn’t able to be managed with Invisalign, we also offer a clear version of traditional braces. This still gives you a more subtle option than normal metal braces. If you need help straightening your crooked teeth, call us or schedule an appointment online!