What If I Want to Keep My Natural Smile and Crooked Teeth?

Posted by AllSmiles

Is it risky to want to keep my natural smile and crooked teeth? I switched dentists because my former dentist relocated. The new dentist recommends braces since my teeth are crooked. My upper teeth seem to be getting worse, and I wonder whether my wisdom teeth are contributing to the misalignment. Anyway, I prefer my natural-looking smile to perfectly straight teeth. My previous two dentists didn’t seem to notice anything wrong with my teeth. I am a bit concerned that the new practice is trying to persuade me to get braces because they want the money. What’s wrong with crooked teeth? – Thanks. Kristian

Kristian,

It’s easy to assume that crooked teeth are simply part of nature. However, we often take simple steps to protect our health—like wearing shoes to protect our feet—because prevention helps preserve what’s healthy. In the same way, rather than interfering with nature, dental care is about supporting the long-term health and function of your teeth.

How Do Crooked Teeth Affect Your Health?

Crooked teeth are more than a cosmetic concern. They can make daily cleaning more difficult and increase your risk for dental problems over time.

When teeth are misaligned, you may notice:

• Food traps more easily between them
• It can be challenging to brush and floss thoroughly
• You have a higher risk of cavities and gum disease
• An imbalanced bite places excess stress on certain teeth

Orthodontic treatment can align your teeth, so they function more efficiently and are easier to keep clean.

Do Wisdom Teeth Cause Crowding?

You may have heard that wisdom teeth push other teeth out of alignment.  However, research does not support it.

Studies have shown:

• Wisdom teeth do not generate enough forward pressure to shift other teeth
• The theory mainly applies to lower wisdom teeth, not upper ones
• Research measuring tooth pressure found no meaningful difference whether wisdom teeth were present or not

Crowding is more likely related to natural changes in the jaw and teeth over time, not pressure from wisdom teeth.

 

Chandler, Arizona, dentists Dr. William Walden and Dr. Tyrel Beavers sponsor this post. Read why patients say our dentists provide the best dental care in Chandler.