Crooked teeth: Part I

Why do I need dental devices?

There are many reasons why a person gets her teeth aligned, but the most important of all is dental health. If teeth are not well aligned and the jaws placed in their right position that enable a good chewing, there can be formed cavities and gum disease. In more severe cases, there can be articulation problems shown by sounds when opening and closing the mouth, and even deafness.

A more common reason why people fix their teeth is for aesthetics, to improve their smile.
What is a bad dental position or malocclusion?

Orthodontics specialists use the word malocclusion to describe a variety of problems relates to teeth and jaws. There is a malocclusion when by closing the mouth the teeth do not fit accurately.

Why do I have misaligned teeth?

It may be inherited. For instance, if your father has long teeth and your mother small jaws, you might have inherited small jaws and long teeth, pressing each other together for a lack of space.

There are some damaging habits such as sucking the fingers (babies and children), breathing through the mouth, chewing nails or the lips, pushing the tongue against the teeth, biting strange objects (pencils, pens, etc); that may also produce malocclusion. This happens because the constant pressure upon the teeth and the jaws can gradually produce deformities and deviations, since they are always in constant movement, especially at a young age.