How Do You Treat Teeth Crowding?

Crooked or crowded teeth are a very common quality in a large number of people. There are a few people who actually have teeth that come in perfectly straight! Dental crowding does not necessarily require orthodontic treatment to have it fixed, but it all depends on how bad your crowding is and what treatment you are a candidate for.

How do you treat teeth crowding?

There are a few treatment options available for patients who want to straighten their smiles. The main contributing factor that your dentist will evaluate when determining what treatment is best for your individual case is the severity of your crowding.

Mild crowding means that just one or two front teeth are slightly rotated. Moderate crowding is when a few more people in the front are overlapping. Severe crowding is when the majority of the teeth are rotated and overlapping.

Treatment options include braces, clear aligner therapy, and veneers. Let’s take a closer look at each option.

Braces

Braces are a common treatment for children to straighten their teeth, but patients of any age can have braces placed. Options may include traditional, clear, ceramic, or even lingual braces, which are placed on the back of the teeth instead of the front.

Braces use brackets that are cemented to the front of the tooth (or back, for lingual braces), and then an arch wire is threaded through the brackets. This arch wire is what is manipulated to push and pull the teeth into alignment. Depending on the severity of crowding, braces are generally worn for one to three years.

Clear Aligner Therapy

Clear aligners, such as Invisalign, have become increasingly popular for patients with mild to moderate crowding. Patients who have severe crowding may not be candidates for clear aligner therapy, but your doctor will be able to advise you on the best treatment path.

Clear aligners are a series of plastic trays that fit over the entire arch of your teeth, top and bottom, and gently shift your teeth into position. Each set of trays is worn for about two weeks, and the total number of aligner trays that you have will depend on the complexity of your crowding.

Veneers

Veneers are typically used to treat cosmetic issues with teeth, but because of their natural look, some people opt to use them to straighten their smile. They can also be used in conjunction with orthodontic treatment, being placed once the ortho is complete. Veneers are thin, porcelain restorations that fit over the front of a tooth. They can be a great solution for patients who want a straight smile but do not want to endure a couple of years of orthodontic treatment.

If you have crowded teeth that affect how you feel about your smile or are hard to clean properly, speak with your dentist to see if you might be a candidate for one of the discussed treatment options.

Related Article: Can Crowded Teeth Get Worse?