What Does Crowding Teeth Mean?
Crowding teeth mean you have a lack of space in your tooth-to-jaw size relationship. Your teeth might not fit normally within your jaws. This may cause your teeth to rotate when they shouldn’t or become displaced within your mouth.
Causes of crowding include early or late loss of primary teeth or improper eruption of teeth. Another possible cause is the unevenness of your jaw and tooth size due to genetics.
The opposite of crowding is spacing of teeth, or gaps between your teeth, as a result of too much space from tooth to tooth. People experiencing this issue typically have teeth smaller than the available space in their mouth. Teeth may be protruding, missing, or impacted (a tooth that has not erupted normally into the mouth and remains partially or totally covered by gum tissue or bone). Abnormal gum tissue attachments can also cause spacing of teeth.
If you have crowding teeth or spacing issues, discuss your situation with your dentist for referral to an orthodontist for treatment.
The Importance of Correcting Crowding and Spacing
Not correcting crowding teeth can lead to the following problems for your overall dental health:
- You are likely to have difficulty in properly cleaning all surfaces of your teeth.
- Your chances of tooth decay are likely to increase, usually due to inadequate cleaning.
- You will also have an increased chance of gum disease, again because you may be unable to adequately clean your teeth.
Similarly, not correcting spacing can lead to the following ongoing dental problems:
- Because your teeth do not fully protect your gums, problems with the gum tissue can result.
- Spacing may interfere with the proper functioning of your teeth.
- Your smile is not as attractive as it could be.
Available Treatment Options
Correcting crowding and spacing is an essential step in preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease. Orthodontic treatment of your issue will improve your ability to remove damaging plaque and properly clean your teeth, as well as protect the health of your gums.
For crowding teeth, the first step is creating extra space in your mouth through either expansion of the arches or extraction of one or more teeth. Once proper space has been created, treatment can begin.
For spacing of teeth, closing gaps means moving your teeth together and properly aligning them with your jaws.
Braces, the best treatment for aligning your teeth, help shift teeth into their proper position through small movements over time. Consult with your provider to choose the most beneficial option for you:
- Traditional metal braces, the most common and affordable type of braces, are stainless steel brackets and wires used for complex or severe cases of crowded teeth. These are usually the best approaches for children and adults.
- Clear braces, sometimes called ceramic braces, provide an esthetic alternative to metal braces. The metal brackets and wires on clear braces are colored to match your teeth, making them less noticeable.
- Clear aligners are worn every day for at least 20 hours, including during sleep. You get a new set every couple of weeks. Unlike braces, clear aligners are almost invisible, and you can easily remove them for cleaning.
An additional treatment option is veneers, which are custom-made porcelain or plastic shells that fit over the front of your teeth. This will only mask your crowded teeth or spacing issue. Veneers are a cosmetic solution and not to be used as a substitute if you need orthodontic treatment.
A retainer can help with very minor crowding or spacing, but not for complex tooth misalignment or for closing large gaps between your teeth.
Consult Your Dentist for Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Crowding teeth and spacing can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on the size of your jaws and how many teeth you have. Treatment depends on your age and the seriousness of your issue. In most cases, your teeth and gums deteriorate with age, leading to further complications in your oral health. That is why you should see your dentist and address the issue as soon as possible.