Your smile is your best first impression, but do you ever look at your smile and think it looks crooked? Genetics, bad habits, loss of teeth, or other factors could cause a crooked smile. How do you fix a crooked smile? Smith & Davis Orthodontics has the answers!
Crooked smiles are the result of malocclusions, often called bad bites. Orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign can repair those bad bites and straighten your smile. Smith & Davis can figure out why your smile is crooked and what it will take to make it straight again.
Why Is My Smile Uneven?
A lopsided smile or misaligned jaw can be that way for several reasons. Often, bad habits at a young age can cause a misaligned bite. Sucking your thumb or using a pacifier after age two can change jaw shape, causing overbite, narrow jaw, and crowded teeth.
What else are considered crooked smile causes? Here are some of the common causes of an uneven smile.
- If you fall, get hit in the face, or have a car accident, the facial trauma may dislocate your jaw. Sometimes this can be fixed with braces or clear aligners. If the injury is severe, you might need surgery first.
- Some congenital disabilities, including cleft palates, can cause an uneven or misaligned jaw. These issues are usually repaired with surgery first. If necessary, orthodontic treatment may be needed later.
- When both parents are prone to malocclusions, chances are their children will also have them.
What Are the Symptoms of an Unaligned Smile?
The easiest way to see whether you have a normal smile or a crooked smile is to look. You have a middle line between your front two upper and lower teeth (incisors).
Smile into a mirror. Does the upper middle one line up with the lower center line? If they don’t, chances are your jaws are misaligned.
Here are some other common symptoms of a misaligned jaw:
- Stiff/Popping Jaw — Your jaw muscles and bones may become tired, stiff, or even pop when you chew.
- Neck or head pain can lead to jaw pain, which can then spread to the neck or cause headaches. It can even radiate down to your shoulders!
- Tooth sensitivity — Your teeth don’t connect correctly with a bad bite. This can cause your teeth to wear down fast. Thinning the enamel (outer protective shell of the tooth) can lead to tooth sensitivity.
- Grinding your teeth — A misaligned jaw can cause you to grind your teeth, even in sleep. This can cause cracks, breaks, and chips in your teeth over time.
Do I Need to Fix My Unaligned Smile?
So, your smile is a little crooked. Do you need to fix your uneven teeth? It will benefit you in the long term by helping to keep your teeth healthy. It will also stop your jaw pain, fatigue, and popping.
A crooked jaw may affect your self-esteem if it changes the shape of your face. Your jaw may sit to one side or another instead of lining up with the rest of your head. It could also sit forward or behind your upper jaw, depending on whether you have an underbite or overbite.
What benefits the most? Your teeth do. Without proper alignment, your teeth will wear down faster than they’re designed to do. If you want to avoid getting dentures prematurely, it’s a good idea to fix your misaligned teeth now.
Fixing a crooked bite can prevent damage and save money on future repairs. This is because it reduces pressure and avoids chips, cracks, and breaks.
How to Fix a Crooked Smile
How do you repair your uneven smile? Patients may need surgery in some of the most extreme cases. After your jaw heals from surgery, you should see an orthodontist to check if more treatment is necessary. Usually, you’ll need braces or Invisalign to fix your bite, crooked teeth, or gaps in your teeth.
You don’t always need surgery to repair a misaligned smile. Braces or clear aligner treatment may be enough to solve your bite problems. How do you know whether you need braces or Invisalign? The best way is to come to see us!
Patients in Northwest Arkansas can visit Smith & Davis Orthodontics in Rogers. You will receive a comprehensive evaluation for their bite issues. We can figure out if braces or clear aligners alone can fix your alignment issues or if surgery is necessary.
Clear Braces
Smith & Davis Orthodontics provides clear braces to patients who prefer a braces treatment option that is less noticeable. Our clear, ceramic braces blend better with the natural color of your teeth. Others may not even notice you have braces until they see you up close! Yet our braces provide the same moving power you’ve come to expect from traditional metal braces.
Invisalign
We also provide Invisalign clear aligners for patients who prove to be good candidates for them. Keep in mind some of the most severe cases do better with braces. These clear acrylic trays apply gentle pressure to move your teeth. Clear aligners can also realign your jaw through rubber bands, like braces.
Getting a Normal Smile in Rogers, AR
An uneven smile can make your jaw look off-kilter but also damage your teeth. Schedule an appointment with Smith & Davis Orthodontics in Northwest Arkansas. We can show you how to get the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted!
