Healthy teeth are one of the most important components of a beautiful and youthful appearance. What exactly is the effect of the position of the teeth on your appearance?
Malocclusion has several external manifestations. First, it leads to noticeable facial asymmetry. In people with crossbite, one side of the face is incompatible with the other, and the eyes and cheeks are located at different levels. Secondly, due to an incorrect bite, the profile of the face will change. There will be a protrusion on the lower or upper jaw. This affects the position of the chin and lip contour. Third, malocclusion causes faster aging of the face. (Skin sagging, formation of depressions and appearance of wrinkles)
Sometimes a wrong bite can even affect posture. An incorrect chin position causes the head’s center of gravity to shift, which increases the overall stress on the neck and back.
In addition to the aesthetic component, malocclusion causes other inconveniences. Bad grinding of hard foods can lead to digestive problems. Headaches may occur due to increased pressure on the jaw muscles. Diction may also be impaired, there may be discomfort and noise in the dentoalveolar joint.
Causes of Malocclusion
Problematic Wisdom Teeth
An adult with a full set of teeth has 4 incisors, 2 canines, 4 premolars (premolars) and 6 molars (molars) in each jaw. As a result, this is 32 teeth.
If both wisdom teeth have not yet appeared for some reason, over time there will be 28 teeth. It is worth noting that the eruption of wisdom teeth is not seen in everyone, and the time of their appearance is very individual.
Quite often, various problems arise due to the eruption of wisdom teeth. Other teeth can be bent and displaced due to the resulting lack of “free space”. Wisdom teeth can put pressure on adjacent molars, ie adjacent teeth. As a result, this leads to the formation of malocclusion, erosion of the enamel, inflammation of the gums and the formation of caries.
Tooth Loss
Violations can be caused not only by “plugging”, but also by tooth loss. If there is a tooth loss, there is a “slippage” of adjacent teeth into the created space due to the uneven load.
As a result, this leads to the formation of visible gaps between the teeth, where food particles get stuck, increasing the likelihood of tooth decay. Moreover, such gaps pose a problem in terms of aesthetics. The displacement of the teeth changes the occlusion and increases the risk of temporomandibular joint problems.
Facial features may change due to the absence of teeth: if there are no molars, there is a sunken cheek, and if there is no anterior teeth, there is a dimple on the lips. After a long time, sagging begins on the face, chin and mouth.
Birth Defects
Sometimes a defective bite is hereditary, meaning it’s a congenital problem. However, most cases of malocclusion occur in childhood, during the period when the jaw apparatus is formed.
The reason for this may be insufficient jaw work (the presence of foods that require long chewing in the diet), bad habits (the child gnaws pens and nails, sucks fingers, holds a nipple or pacifier in his mouth for a while), such as lack of breastfeeding, as well as frequent respiratory diseases.
A wrong bite can be:
.deep
.open
.distal
.mesial
.cross
Misalignment of teeth can cause malocclusion, and malocclusion can also cause crooked teeth. Tooth crowding or improper loading can cause the main tooth row to bend relative to the other teeth or “pop out”.
How to Solve the Problem?
Today, orthodontic problems in adults are treated with various types of treatment. One way or the other is chosen according to the severity of the problem identified by the orthodontist and the current financial situation of the patient. The most commonly used devices to correct occlusion are braces and aligners.
The duration of treatment varies greatly depending on how pronounced the pathology of the bite is. It usually lasts about 1.5 years in adults, and in some cases up to 2.5 years.
Until recently, it was believed that only children and adolescents could wear braces, and adults did not even think about visiting an orthodontist. Today, regular visits to the orthodontist are recommended even for adults.
