Crowded Teeth Explained by the Sacramento Dentistry Group

A frequent patient complaint is crowded teeth that produce a crooked smile. Why are crowded teeth a common problem? What is the best solution for fixing them? The dentists at the Sacramento Dentistry Group have successfully helped many clients with this issue and want to share some key points about fixing crowded teeth.

What Causes Crowded Teeth?

There are three major causes of crowded teeth and all of them can be solved with the dental art of orthodontics. These causes are:

• Improperly shaped arches,
• Large teeth with small jaws,
• Roots out of position.

Note that there is no mention of too many teeth. While removing the third molars, or wisdom teeth, is commonly necessary due to impacted teeth, all of the other teeth usually erupt normally and should fit in a properly sized jaw. Although many dentists and orthodontists still extract teeth to solve crowding, the Sacramento Dentistry Group prefers not to follow this procedure. Why is this so?

Solving the Cause, Not the Symptom

Crowded teeth are a symptom of one or more of the three causes mentioned above. Simply removing a tooth and reshaping others to preserve the look of a normal smile only deals with the symptom, not the "root" cause. Extraction also leaves behind a hole that somewhat complicates the ensuing orthodontic procedure. When orthodontic principles are applied to the causes, the teeth are readily moved into their proper position and orientation to one another.

For example, jaws should basically be in a flared U-shape, but when crowded teeth are present the jaw is often V-shaped or omega-shaped. Widening the jaw to its ideal shape provides the room needed for a normal smile. When roots are tilted out of vertical, they do not properly deal with the forces caused by chewing, often becoming more twisted over time. Aligning the roots properly with the jaw usually opens up more space for neighboring teeth, again fixing the issue of crowding. Note that all of these corrections do not require removing teeth, outside of the aforementioned impacted wisdom teeth.

Applying Orthodontics for Patients' Benefit

The Sacramento Dentistry Group offers different methods to use the science behind orthodontics for its patients. This opens up more options for patients in regards to time of treatment, cost, and convenience. Standard braces, Invisalign clear plastic aligners, Propel and the novel DNA appliance system are all available from their Sacramento dentists. For more information, patients with crowded teeth or other smile issues may contact the Sacramento Dentistry Group at sacramentodentistry.com, by calling 916-538-6900 or with a visit to the dental clinic at 1105 E Street in downtown Sacramento.