Crooked teeth are among the malocclusions with a major impact on the person’s beauty and oral health. Several factors cause such malocclusions. There exist significant reasons for the occurrence of maxillofacial abnormalities and malocclusions. The first is genetics, i.e., children inherit crooked teeth from their parents. For example, some children may inherit small jaws from their mothers and large teeth from their fathers.
As a result, teeth do not have the required space to fit together correctly. Crooked teeth are also caused by environmental factors such as the long habit of finger sucking or tongue sucking, mouth breathing, the impacts hitting jaws or the face, and pressures applied to the mouth. Genetics and environmental factors are two major causes of crooked teeth. One can do nothing with genetics, but environmental factors can be partially controlled.
Orthodontic treatment of crooked teeth
Orthodontics is a great solution for the treatment of crooked teeth. For the best result and having the easiest procedure people with crooked teeth can visit an orthodontist to benefit from the best treatments. The purpose of orthodontic treatment is to align and arrange the previous crooked teeth to look well-positioned and polished. As a result, the orthodontic treatment of crooked teeth allows easier cleaning, reduces the risk of dental caries and periodontal disease, and ensures periodontal and TMJ health. Therefore, aesthetic effects only account for a small part of the benefits of the orthodontic treatment of crooked teeth.
Orthodontic treatment of crooked teeth and improvement of gastrointestinal function
Interestingly, there are side effects of the orthodontic treatment affecting other body organs such as the gastrointestinal tract. The orthodontic treatment of crooked teeth guarantees the oral cavity’s health as the first component of the gastrointestinal tract. Which in other words is how oral health can ensure the proper functioning of the whole gastrointestinal tract.
Crooked teeth fail to properly chew and grind foods and disturb the primary digestive operations. Everything eaten by an individual with aligned and well-positioned teeth is entirely and adequately chewed and digested, guaranteeing the gastrointestinal tract’s health.
The orthodontic treatment of crooked teeth generally pursues two significant objectives: beauty and proper dental functioning.
Crooked teeth and treatment of mouth breathing
Mouth breathing makes the person more vulnerable to malocclusions, crowded teeth, and crooked teeth. For example, crooked teeth specifically are due to their abnormally narrowed maxilla. The pressure applied to teeth makes them get out of their normal position. Such patients need to receive orthodontic treatments. They should first visit an otorhinolaryngologist to treat mouth breathing and then an orthodontist to treat their crooked or malpositioned teeth. The necessity of orthodontic treatments may be reduced if mouth breathing is treated at the right time. Environmental factors and respiratory problems can gradually lead to crooked and crowded teeth. The patients can eliminate the need for orthodontic treatments by timely control of these factors and difficulties.
Best time for treatment of crooked teeth
The best orthodontists believe that the best time for the treatment of crooked teeth is at the age of 8 to 10 years, depending on the gender. When the maxillofacial and dental development is completed, it would be more difficult and more time-consuming to treat such a malocclusion. The best time for the orthodontic treatment of crooked and crowded teeth is 8-9 years old for girls and 10-11 years for boys.