Many adults and teenagers have crooked teeth, but are wary of needing unattractive metal braces. Luckily, there are many other options available to safely and effectively straighten your teeth.
Las Vegas cosmetic dentist Dr. Jorge Paez has many years of experience helping his patients achieve beautiful, straight smiles through customized dental treatment plans. Call Nevada Dental Esthetics at 702-737-3553 today to schedule your initial consultation.
Why Should You Straighten Crooked Teeth?
Often, patients want to straighten their teeth for purely aesthetic reasons. However, crooked teeth can also cause issues with your oral health. Crooked teeth make it harder to brush and floss, and can lead to a buildup of bacteria that eventually causes decay. In addition, they can cause other problems such as:
- Excessive and uneven wear on enamel
- Weakening of the teeth
- Misaligned bite
- Difficulty chewing
If your bite becomes misaligned, this can lead to other issues such as headaches, jaw pain, neck and shoulder pain, and more. Plus, your oral health is tied closely to your overall health, and you may be at an increased risk for heart disease and other health problems if you don’t address your crooked teeth.
What Causes Crooked Teeth?
There are a variety of factors that may contribute to developing crooked teeth. These can include:
- Prematurely losing baby teeth
- Sucking on a thumb or pacifier too much
- Having a small mouth
- Breathing through the mouth
- Teeth shifting because of injury or disease
- Genetics
No matter the cause, if you end up with teeth that are significantly crooked, you should look into straightening them in order to prevent more serious dental problems down the road.
Options For Straightening Your Teeth
Six Month Smiles
Six Month Smiles is a faster, more efficient, and more attractive braces option than traditional metal braces. Six Month Smiles are transparent braces you only need to wear for an average of 6 months (actual time required varies by patient, and can be anywhere from 4 to 9 months).
These clear braces are great for both crooked and gapped teeth, and can help you achieve a beautiful smile in much less time than traditional braces take. These braces focus mainly on the front teeth that show when you smile, so if you have crooked teeth throughout your mouth, a different option may be better.
ClearCorrect
Similar to Invisalign, ClearCorrect are transparent aligners designed to correct your teeth while being nearly invisible to other people. You’ll need a series of aligners that gradually adjust the position of your teeth over time.
ClearCorrect is a very popular way to straighten the teeth, because the aligners are comfortable and hard for other people to detect. Most won’t even notice unless you point it out. Plus, ClearCorrect aligners can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing, making them a more hygienic option than braces.
ClearCorrect aligners can be used for both adults and teenagers, and have a very high success and satisfaction rate.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are an option for people with minor gaps or crowding of their teeth. They are a purely cosmetic solution, as veneers will not correct the actual position of your tooth. However, many people find porcelain veneers to be an effective and attractive solution, especially if they have other problems with their teeth such as chips, cracks, or discoloration.
Porcelain veneers are thin sheets of porcelain that are placed on the front of problem teeth in order to create a uniform, even, bright white smile. They are stain-resistant and durable, and will last for years with proper maintenance.
If your teeth are severely crooked to the point of creating oral health problems, porcelain veneers may not be the right solution for you. However, if you have minor to moderate problems with gaps or crowding, veneers could be a great long-term fix.
Dental Implants
If you have missing teeth, the surrounding teeth will often become crooked due to the lack of support. In addition to becoming crooked, these surrounding teeth may weaken and eventually fall out as well.
Dental implants are a good way to prevent problems caused by missing teeth. A dental implant is essentially a replacement tooth root that is surgically implanted into the jaw, with a crown on top to replace the visible portion of the tooth.
Implants have an advantage over dentures and bridges in that they help strengthen the jaw by actually replacing the tooth root. If you do not replace the root of a missing tooth, it may lead to bone resorption and eventual jaw collapse.
Dental Bridges
If you have one or more missing teeth but are not a candidate for dental implants, or if you simply don’t want an implant, a dental bridge (also called partial denture) may be right for you. A bridge does not replace the tooth root, but it does create a replacement tooth that can help surrounding teeth keep their position.
A bridge is created by placing a false tooth between two crowns that serve as anchors. These anchors are attached to your existing teeth, with the false tooth occupying the space where your missing tooth was. Bridges can provide the support necessary for surrounding teeth, so that they don’t become crooked and weak.
Dr. Paez will discuss the benefits of bridges and implants during your consultation, and help you choose which procedure is right for you.
Schedule Your Teeth Straightening Consultation
If you have crooked teeth, don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Paez of Nevada Dental Esthetics at 702-737-3553 to schedule your consultation. Dr. Paez will work together with you to find a treatment plan that fits your lifestyle and budget and will help you achieve your dental goals.
We serve patients in Summerlin, Spring Valley, and other nearby areas of Las Vegas, Nevada.