SPECIALTY

The term "crooked teeth" refers to any tooth misalignment in the upper or lower jawline, including an overbite, underbite, and crossbite. Although the term is often used to describe the cosmetic aspects of misaligned teeth, misalignment also impacts your oral health by causing jaw discomfort and strain that could lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).

The severity of your alignment issues will determine the recommended course of treatment. If the misalignment is minor, you can correct it with clear aligners. However, if your teeth require more than a minor adjustment, braces or surgical orthodontics may be the best option to correct your smile. 

Before beginning treatment, our dentist will perform a thorough examination of your mouth to determine whether orthodontic intervention is necessary to correct your bite alignment.

Benefits of Straightening Your Teeth

Straightening your teeth can improve your dental health by correcting alignment and bite issues. Having crooked teeth can also make it harder to brush or floss effectively, which is why we recommend visiting our office for an evaluation.

Misalignment can cause problems with your jaw joint that can progress over time and lead to headaches, pain when you chew, or even lockjaw. Furthermore, having crooked teeth can make it more difficult to clean between your teeth, leaving more room for plaque to form and increasing the risk of tooth decay. 

Finally, misaligned teeth can make speaking clearly more difficult. Correcting your bite can help avoid these issues and improve your overall quality of life.

Common Orthodontic Problems

If your teeth are crooked, they can affect your bite and speech. You may also suffer from teeth crowding or spacing issues. These conditions can be difficult to treat, but our dentist can recommend orthodontic treatments to correct your teeth' alignment.

Many people have misaligned teeth, and they do not even know it! They may blame their poor oral health habits for the problem without realizing that their teeth are crooked because they are actually too small for their jaws. This can be caused by a genetic disorder, the early loss of baby teeth, or even the premature loss of adult teeth. The condition can also be caused by missing teeth in your jawline due to trauma or decay.

Many people with misaligned teeth also experience gum disease because of the hard-to-reach areas of their mouths. Our dentist may recommend braces or Invisalign aligners to help straighten your teeth and prevent further oral health complications.

For more information, contact our Alexandria dental office at (703) 823-2848 or 5130 Duke St, Suite 8, Alexandria, VA 22304, or our Manassas dental office at (703) 479-7654 or 8608 Centreville Rd, Manassas, VA 20110.