Category Cosmetic Dentistry

Causes of Crooked Teeth

One of your best features is your smile. A happy, healthy and dazzling smile easily turns heads and makes a good impression. Not all of us, however, are gifted with a straight set of pearly whites. Some patients complain of misaligned teeth despite having healthy dental habits. Dr. Randolph Lais shares the possible culprit behind this unsightly problem:

Inherited Traits

Some families may have genetic inclination to crooked teeth. They may have healthy oral development, but for some reason, their teeth still grow crooked. You inherit your teeth like you inherit other features like nose and eyes. If crooked teeth runs in your family, consult with our practice right away. It’s best to start intervention early to prevent other discomforting oral problems from developing later on.

Poor Oral Habits

Your teeth may grow straight, but habits like thumb sucking, pushing the teeth with the tongue, or chewing on objects may contribute to crooked teeth. Children usually have this problem. They do these to manage or cope with stress. Persistence of these habits may cause problems with oral development.  Provide something for your child to reduce stress in a non-damaging way. For instance, suggest squeezing a stress ball during stressful times.

Injuries to the Mouth

Contact sports like basketball, football, and rugby are definitely rough. Being hit on the mouth is inevitable and at times, mouth guards are not enough. Some injuries may cause teeth to grow in awkward positions.

Wearing dental braces is the most common solution to straightening crooked teeth. But if you’re looking for a more comfortable and less visible orthodontic treatment, we suggest Invisalign. These clear aligners apply the right pressure to put your teeth in the right place.

Our practice offers Invisalign as a functional and aesthetic solution for your problem. Visit us if you want to know more about this corrective treatment. Call us at 479.845.1225 to set an appointment.

Straightening Your Teeth with the Help of Invisalign®

Invisalign® has been around for a few years now and has proven to be a very effective solution for straightening teeth.

However, it does not take the place of all orthodontics by any means. There are many outcomes for optimal straightening of the teeth that can’t be accomplished with Invisalign®, in which case traditional orthodontics are the better option. Fortunately, for the great majority of people who once had orthodontics and it has relapsed, Invisalign® is an ideal procedure to get the teeth straight again. There are many situations where Invisalign® can get excellent results, even for someone who has not had orthodontics before.

In order to utilize Invisalign®, it is vital that the dentist has a full understanding of occlusion and the patient’s TMJ (joint of the jaw) health. Training in orthodontic movement and TMJ is ideal. The goal is not just straighter teeth, it is to get a healthy stable outcome for lasting results. Some outcomes with Inivisalign® can be less stable than they would be with traditional braces, which increases the need for fixed retention, such as wire bonding on the lower teeth or the use of retainers indefinitely.

Invisalign does allow business people to straighten their teeth and not have their image/business savvy interfered with because they can communicate well with Invisalign®, and most people can not even tell you have anything on your teeth. One of the big benefits we see from a dental standpoint is that you can straighten your teeth but still remove these things, brush and floss your teeth, and still keep them very healthy. With traditional braces you can not clean your teeth as well and it holds stuff against your gums. Many individuals with traditional braces end up with inflammation of the gums and discolored teeth from the pressure of the braces. Invisalign® has big advantages in that it uses the most modern Cad/Cam technology. This is where the dentist can view your individual case using a computer program that helps to guide how the movements in the teeth are made. An individual plan can be made that is tailored for optimal treatment for each patient.