When you turn on the TV you see people with bright, shiny teeth, and Hollywood smiles, and then you can’t help to wonder whether any of these celebrities ever had to struggle with crooked teeth. Or is it just something they were born with? Watching them makes it easy to feel less pretty.
The truth behind their bright smiles is the fact that all of them have a good dentist. The majority of people had some kind of issue with their teeth that had to be corrected at one point. Luckily, today, there is no problem modern dentistry cannot handle.
Did people always have problems with crooked teeth, or is it something that worsens with time?
According to research, the epidemic of crooked teeth and jaws culminated around 1940. At the time, they thought the cause was the mixing of different races and people from different climates.
It’s just one of the theories, but there are more. What anthropologists’ theories are based on, is a change in diet, the transition from hard to softer, processed foods that require less jaw load and thus the jaw lost strength and function.
There are tons of theories, but the causes we list in this article are more relevant. So, let’s explore what causes crooked teeth and what treatments can correct this issue.
Genetics
The most common cause of crooked teeth is genetics. Just as we cannot control what hair or eye color we will have, we cannot fully influence the shape and quality of our teeth either. You either got those teeth from your mother’s or your fathers’ side. Whatever you are born with, nice or not so nice, you blame it on genetics.
Food consumption
It might be hard to believe, but the rise in food processing has indeed contributed to this modern epidemic. Not because such food is softer than unprocessed food, but because processed and industrialized foods lack the key nutrients needed to produce a wide and firm jaw with appropriate straight teeth. Essential nutrients are needed for the jaw to be formed with enough strength to support the whole face structure. We’re talking about vitamins like A, D, K2 that was believe it or not, abundant in the diet of what we call primitive humans. Today, people have to take these in the form of pills. What happens to modern man is the narrowing of the face, smaller jaw, and crooked teeth.
Sometimes, such problems are caused by the habits from our earliest days, such as thumb sucking.
This habit is by far the most common one in babies, some even practice it while their mom’s belly. So, no wonder it causes such serious damage as they grow. Sucking a thumb for several hours a day can pull forward and out of alignment, and is one of the leading causes of the issue discussed in this article. So, a good piece of advice for young parents is to monitor the baby’s behavior and try to prevent this habit as early as possible.
Tongue position
Did you know that the tongue is the most powerful muscle in our body? Plus, the most active. It is so powerful that the pressure it puts on teeth in early childhood can cause serious damage. Moreover, it can push teeth out of alignment before they even get a chance to grow properly. When it touches the teeth incorrectly, in situations if an individual has difficulty pronouncing letters or pushes the tongue against the teeth to make swallowing easier, over time it will greatly affect the position of the teeth.
Here’s one more interesting cause…
While most people have thirty-two permanent, some people are born or develop extra teeth. In addition to wisdom teeth, which can grow in the back of the jaw during adolescence, there may be some additional trying to grow in the jaw. The result is a total clutter as everyone tries to find their place.
These are just some of the causes. But what is the effect of such an issue? Here’s one you’ve probably never heard of – spine issues. Few people are aware that body position depends on the bite. Lack of lateral teeth can greatly contribute to spine problems. Even if you have all your teeth, due to large fillings or due to natural wear, the bite height is lost. This will have the effect that, in an attempt to adjust, the spine bends to compensate for the new situation.
What are the solutions?
Like it was mentioned in the beginning, modern-day medicine and dentistry have evolved so much, that everything can be fixed, with the right doctor. Long gone are the times when one had to be a child to wear braces and start fixing teeth. Braces are definitely the most tried and tested method, by far the most popular and most effective for the general population, regardless of age. They can be adjusted to help even those with severe mismatches. Thus, they remain the most popular choice.
In order to make the most of such treatment, one has to have patience and be ready to wear braces for a longer period of time.
In addition to above-mentioned, some lesser problems can also be corrected with dental veneers. For those who do not have the patience to wear braces for a longer period of time, treatment with dental veneers is an option, exclusively as an aesthetic solution. To know more about other solutions, read ahead.
A smile ruined by crooked teeth can also be corrected with implants. This solution is ideal for those who have a couple of teeth missing. If you want to explore more options for solving your teeth issues, this site is the one to visit.
As we mentioned a couple of times in the text, everything can be fixed with a good doctor. So, do not try to save money by choosing those who offer cheap services, because the quality is in 90% of cases poor. The smile you wear greatly affects your appearance ve
