Overlapping teeth can be a genetic condition, caused by thumb-sucking and other juvenile habits or result from an injury. Your Bronx dentist can straighten teeth in a variety of ways. Invisalign for overlapping front teeth pushes the teeth into place without metal braces. If you opt to straighten overlapping teeth with Invisalign, it may take just six to 18 months to complete. Ask your Invisalign dentist, that opens on Saturday and Sunday, about Invisalign.
Few people are born with perfect teeth. The most noticeable malformation is crooked or overlapping teeth. Overlapping teeth is when your upper or lower teeth extend significantly beyond the opposite teeth. Visibly out-of-alignment or overlapping teeth cause several problems, in addition to the cosmetic ones:
- Difficulty chewing correctly
- Harder to keep clean
- More chances of tooth decay
- Cavities
- Gingivitis
- Affected speech patterns
You also may experience jaw pain and soreness from crooked teeth. Since the teeth don’t line up correctly, the strain on your jaw and muscles increases the likelihood of pain and possibly breaking teeth. And you may be self-conscious about your smile, due to the overlapping teeth. Your dentist, open on Sunday by appointment, can design a treatment plan to straighten your overlapping teeth with Invisalign.
Reasons for Overlapping Teeth
You may have a tendency to develop more dental problems with noticeably crooked or overlapping teeth. Causes of overlapping teeth include:
- A small mouth that crowds your teeth and causes them to shift — your teeth can overlap in time
- Upper and lower jaws that are malformed or not the same size, which may develop into an overbite or an underbite
- Overbites causing lower teeth to crowd or underbites causing upper teeth to begin overlapping
- Family members whose teeth overlap — your jaw and face shape is inherited
- Baby teeth lost unusually early
- Lost or missing adult teeth
- Dental restorations, such as fillings or crowns, that don’t fit properly
- Periodontal disease, because loosened teeth can shift
- Unusual pressure on your teeth and gums from grinding or chewing on hard objects over time
- Misalignment of your jaw after an injury
- Tumors in your mouth or jaw
- Habits of childhood — including thumb-sucking, use of a pacifier beyond age three or prolonged use of a bottle
Treatment Options for Your Overlapping Teeth
Our top rated dental specialists, open on Saturday, has several options for fixing overlapping teeth. Customized treatment plans consider your dental needs, concerns, aesthetics, and budget. Options include:
- Wearing a retainer to correct many minor overlaps
- Dental sculpting using a drill or laser to decrease overlapping and increase space
- Removing one or more teeth to relieve overcrowding
- Adding porcelain veneers to cover and fill-in obviously crooked teeth
- Braces, either conventional or invisible
- Invisalign for overlapping front teeth
- Surgery, but only in rare or extreme cases or in instances of injury
The Invisalign Procedure
For any corrective measure, your dentist first takes X-rays, photos and impressions of your teeth to determine how much your teeth need to move. Many adults who have mild or moderate crowding choose Invisalign for overlapping front teeth. Invisalign is a brand of clear orthodontic aligners custom-made for your mouth and treatment goals.
After the prep work, a series of tight-fitting clear retainers are made to slip over your teeth. Your Saturday dentist provides several versions of the aligners, each with slight changes to move your teeth little by little toward the desired position, much like braces work. Because these aligners are clear, they’re much less noticeable. You wear your Invisalign retainers for 20 to 22 hours a day, removing them just to eat, brush or floss.
Concerns Corrected by Invisalign
Invisalign for overlapping teeth treats a number of other bite issues too, including:
- Gaps between teeth. Whether you have lost teeth or have smaller-than-usual teeth, mouth gaps may occur, compromising your gum health.
- If your upper teeth extend over your lower teeth, the wear on your teeth can be uneven, leading to jaw and muscle problems. Invisalign for overlapping front teeth corrects and relieves pressure.
- If your lower teeth protrude past your upper teeth, jaw and joint problems may occur because your molars don’t line up correctly.
- Open bite. This occurs when some of your teeth can’t make physical contact with opposing teeth. Chewing, speech issues and temporomandibular joint problems arise with an open bite.
- Overly crowded teeth. A small mouth results in overcrowding. Correcting overlapping teeth with Invisalign is an easy way to treat overly crowded teeth.
- When both your upper and lower jaws are misaligned, you have a crossbite. As with most bite issues, you suffer wear and tear, as well as jaw and joint problems being concerns.
You enjoy the benefits of Invisalign for overlapping front teeth. Invisalign treats simple to complex cases with clear, nearly invisible aligners. Your diet and activities are not limited because you can remove them for eating, brushing, flossing and strenuous exercise. You won’t have injuries or aggravation due to broken wires or metal brackets. Ask your dentist, open on Saturdays, about correcting your overlapping teeth with Invisalign.
Do you have any questions about the overlapping teeth treatment fix using Invisalign? Would you like to schedule an appointment with the best Invisalign doctor in the Bronx, NY? Please contact our dental clinic for a consultation with our overlapping teeth specialist and orthodontist in the Bronx.