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WHAT CAUSES CROOKED TEETH? HOW SOON CAN YOU CORRECT THEM? Written By: Dr. Ankita Shah, Jan 2021

Myobrace

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably wondered if your child will need orthodontic braces! You definitely desire your child to have a healthy, white and bright dazzling smile with no crooked teeth, right? Let’s have a brief overview on what causes crooked teeth and how can we prevent them at the earliest.

WHAT CAUSES CROOKED TEETH?

Hereditary

Mouth breathing

Incorrect swallow

Thumb sucking

Most commonly it is attributed to hereditary factors. Is that true but? We tend to blame genetics but that’s not always the case. Various habits like mouth breathing, incorrect swallowing pattern, thumb sucking lead to incorrect jaw development and crooked teeth.

Mouth breathing prevents the tongue from resting in the correct position thereby resulting in narrow jaws and an underdeveloped face.

A child swallows twice per minute which is why an incorrect swallowing pattern can affect the growth of the jaws. The forces from the lip, cheek and tongue can greatly affect the positioning of the teeth. #DidYouKnow: The tongue can exert upto 500gms of force while it takes only 1.7gms of force to move a tooth. The tongue naturally rests at a spot behind the upper front teeth in the roof of your mouth. Incorrect positioning of the tongue can affect the growth of the upper jaw. This in turn does not give enough room for the teeth to align resulting in crooked teeth.

Braces have been used since decades to align crooked teeth in early teens but they cannot correct the growth of the jaws and underlying causes for crooked teeth. Poor oral habits are evident before all permanent teeth are present. Hence there are Preventive Pre-Orthodontic procedures that focus on correcting the underlying causes for crooked teeth leading to natural growth and development. These procedures are best suited for children from 6-7 years through their early teens.

HOW DOES PREVENTIVE PRE-ORTHODONTICS WORK?

Corrects poor oral habits

Develops & aligns the face and jaws

Straightens the teeth

Improves overall health

Promotes healthy eating habits

It is a universal desire for every child to have a stunning and spectacular smile. A gorgeous smile is the unspoken sign of health and happiness across the planet. Hence it is better to start early than to chase cure. Make choices that are beneficial, not comfortable.

“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”

Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Keywords : children, crooked teeth, oral habits, orthodontics , braces, Preventive Pre-Orthodontics, Myobrace, teens, pre-adolescent, parents