Misaligned Teeth-Causes and Treatment Options

Misaligned Teeth-Causes and Treatment Options

May 1, 2023

A healthy and attractive smile makes someone appear younger, more confident, and better looking. However, most people do not have such a smile due to teeth misalignment issues. Continue reading to learn the causes and the treatment options by the Tigard dentist.

What Is Teeth Misalignment?

When developing, there is a specific way that your upper and lower teeth should fit together. However, during the growth stage, teeth can become abnormally aligned. This is known as teeth misalignment or malocclusion. It affects your smile, appearance, chewing and speaking abilities, and poor oral health.

There are various types of teeth misalignment that a dentist near you can identify. They include the following:

  • Crowded or crooked teeth. They occur when the jaw has inadequate space to accommodate all your teeth.
  • Overbite. It is a condition where teeth, particularly the front ones in the upper jaw, overlap your lower teeth.
  • Open bite. When you have an overbite, a gap forms in the front teeth whenever the upper and lower teeth come together.
  • Underbite. This misalignment occurs when the lower front teeth overlap your upper front teeth you close your jaw.
  • Crossbite. This condition occurs when the jaw does not align appropriately sideways. It results in the upper molars touching inside the lower molars when you close your jaw.

Causes of Misaligned Teeth

Teeth misalignment affects both adults and kids and occurs at various stages of growth. There are various reasons that cause people to develop misaligned teeth. Some of them are discussed below.

  1. Genetics

You may have malocclusions due to conditions passed down in your family. For example, you may inherit a small mouth or jaw size resulting in crowded or crooked teeth. You can also inherit poor palate or tooth development issues leading to misalignment.

  1. Premature loss of baby teeth

Children shed their primary teeth to create space for permanent adult teeth at a particular age. However, they may lose their teeth early because of cavities or dental trauma. When this happens, the teeth next to the gap shift and grow slanted. Also, the new teeth will lack space to develop properly. As a result, the child will have misaligned teeth.

  1. Bad myofunctional habits

Babies can develop misalignment issues due to bad repetitive behaviors affecting mouth muscles. They include thumb-sucking or extensive pacifier use. For example, thumb-sucking leads to an open bite. Other bad habits that cause teeth misalignment are mouth breathing and tongue thrusting.

  1. Dental trauma

You can have misaligned teeth after a hit to the mouth or face. Dental trauma usually occurs during active sports or accidents. For example, a tooth can be displaced when hit by a ball, causing the adjacent teeth to be crooked.

  1. Poor dental care

You increase your risk of misalignment when you do not care for your teeth. For example, not visiting dental offices for cleaning or checkups can result in decay, cavities, and gingivitis. Gum diseases cause your teeth to become loose and shift, resulting in misalignment. You can also have malocclusion when the teeth fall out because of decay or gum disease.

  1. Malnutrition

A proper diet contributes to the development of healthy teeth and bones. Lacking proper and sufficient nutrients causes poor dental development. Therefore, you may get crooked teeth. Poor nutrition also leads to decay and gingivitis, contributing to misaligned teeth.

Do You Need Treatment for Misaligned Teeth?

Some people with teeth malocclusions are embarrassed by their smiles and seek treatment. However, others find the misalignments unique and do not bother with treatment. As a result, they will develop serious issues requiring expensive and invasive treatments.

Some effects of misalignment are difficulty cleaning the teeth and chewing and speech issues. Others include unattractive smiles, poor self-image, excess teeth wear, and gum disease. Therefore, you should seek treatment for your crooked teeth. You can visit or contact our team at Inspire dental for teeth straightening treatments.

Treatment for Misaligned Teeth

Teeth malocclusion is an entirely treatable condition. The Tigard dentist provides the treatment options below for perfecting a misaligned smile.


  1. Braces. These are metal or ceramic braces with brackets attached to teeth to straighten them.
  2. Invisalign aligners. They are clear trays custom-made for properly aligning teeth.
  3. Veneers. These tooth-like shells are placed on the front surface of slightly misaligned teeth to disguise their look.
  4. Palatal expanders. They are used to increase the width of your mouth for teeth to shift into their proper position.
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