Crowding and Spacing of Teeth
Crowding and spacing are two orthodontic problems that if left unresolved can cause a great deal of discomfort and expensive future problems.
Located in Brooklyn, Brace Central is committed to helping our patients fix their current orthodontic problems and prevent future ones. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.
Crowding
Crowding occurs when there isn’t enough space for all of your teeth to fit normally in your jaw. This condition is caused by an imbalance in the tooth to jaw size relationship, in which the teeth are too large for the jaw, or the jaw is too small for the teeth. It can also be the result of the improper eruption of teeth, as well as the early or late loss of baby teeth. Teeth can twist, displace, and jut out to accommodate to the lack of space.
If left untreated, crowding can cause a great deal of expensive, painful, and aesthetically unappealing problems. It can:
- Cause dental decay
- Prevent proper cleaning practices
- Increase your chances of gum disease
- Make it harder to speak and eat
- Cause excessive and uneven wear of tooth structure
These possible complications can lead to expensive dental treatments. Correcting crowding issues can improve the appearance of your smile, the ease of your dental cleaning practices, and the quality of your life.
The first step in treating crowding is creating extra space by either expanding the arches or extracting one or more teeth. Once this space has been created, braces can be used to realign the teeth and correct crowding.
Spacing
Spacing is the opposite of crowding – instead of there being too little space between teeth, there’s too much. This can happen because of teeth that are too small in comparison with the size of the jaw, protrusive teeth, missing teeth, or impacted teeth.
Like crowding, spacing can cause problems that can cost you money and make your life more difficult. Crowding can result in:
- Gum problems
- Improper functioning of the teeth
- A less attractive smile
While all of these problems can be tough to deal with, the gum problems that can result from spaced teeth are the most serious. Gum problems can be painful, uncomfortable, and costly to treat.
Luckily, space issues can be corrected relatively easily. The spaces can be closed and properly aligned within the arch using a combination of braces and orthodontic appliances.
At Brace Central, we are committed to delivering our patients quality orthodontic care. Part of this orthodontic care is preventative measures to make sure the chance of you having additional orthodontic issues in the future is small. If you have any issues with spacing or crowding that you would like fixed, contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you!