In orthodontics, they often encounter such a problem as crowding of teeth. This anomaly occurs in both adults and children. If nothing is done, serious problems with the posterior tissues may appear in the future. You can get rid of such a pathology of the bite by different methods, however, some of them require a huge amount of time.
What is crowding of the dentition?
In dentistry, this pathology means a condition where the teeth grow too densely together due to lack of space. Such a problem may appear for the following reasons:
- Extra teeth grow, or the sizes of some of them exceed the standard dimensions.
- The bone base has not reached the required size.
- Not all milk teeth fell out, and the remaining ones interfere with the growth of permanent ones.
This bite anomaly also occurs when tooth groups are displaced , for example, if temporary fangs or molars were removed prematurely and empty spaces were left without prosthetics. In addition, bad habits contribute to the development of crowding: mouth breathing or sucking fingers. Such a bite pathology may appear in adults with the growth of third molars.
According to some reports, 60 percent of children under 14 years of age have partial crowding. In some children, this deviation affects the upper jaw, while in others there is crowding of the lower teeth. In rare cases, this malocclusion covers both jaws at once.
Pathology stages
In dentistry, it is customary to distinguish several options for the formation of crowding:
- Easy stage. With it, only 2-3 mm is missing and deviations affect only a few teeth, the remaining units have the correct location. This simple form of pathology is easiest to fix in a short time.
- Medium degree. Such an anomaly is characterized by violations of 4-6 mm, in addition, it can affect only a few units, without affecting the attractiveness of the dentition. The problem unit at this stage of crowding is slightly shifted beyond the boundaries of a flat line, is rotated around its axis, or has a large slope.
- Severe form. This degree is the most difficult and noticeable. In this case, the deviation reaches more than 7 mm, and individual teeth are forced out of the natural arc, changing the uniformity and shape of the smile. With such a violation, serious problems can arise, which are eliminated solely by the removal of dental units.
Crowding of teeth: photos and causes
Doctors are not always able to establish what causes this pathology. As a rule, the reasons are some habits and diseases of the oral cavity. In people in adulthood, this anomaly appears at the moment when wisdom teeth begin to erupt. In such a situation, the molars and fangs already occupy free places, and there is nothing left for the eights, therefore they move the neighboring units, occupying the necessary space.
Too crowded often lead to bad childhood habits. To avoid such a pathology, parents should wean the baby in time from using dummies and nipples, sucking fingers, infantile swallowing and other things. Still such a pathology may arise as a result of early loss of milk teeth and the late appearance of molars in their place.
Incorrect bite by nature is often the cause of crowding. This pathology completely affects the shape and size of the jaw, as well as the location of incisors, fangs and molars. With the underdevelopment of the alveolar processes, a similar anomaly can also occur.
In addition, crowding of the teeth is observed with problems such as:
- Various diseases that affect the abnormal development of the jaw arch.
- The presence of supernumerary teeth when they have a little more than the required number.
- Underdevelopment of the lower jaw.
- Too wide teeth, taking up more space, thereby displacing units that grow later.
- Hereditary pathologies that provoke the appearance of hyperdontia or macrodentia.
Crowding of the teeth must be corrected, or it will be necessary to eliminate the complications that have arisen. The orthodontist is engaged in the treatment of such an anomaly.
Negative effects of malocclusion
Many ignore crowding of teeth, thinking that such a problem brings only aesthetic inconvenience. However, this is completely different from other malocclusions, the close arrangement of teeth can lead to complications.
Crowding of the teeth of the lower jaw causes plaque, since there is no gap between the units with such an ailment, as a result of which it becomes impossible to provide complete care for the oral cavity. As a result, hard stone and plaque begin to form in hard-to-reach places, which can only be removed with special dental equipment.
This tooth abnormality leads to caries. This happens due to the accumulation of plaque, which provokes the multiplication of microorganisms that cause inflammation of the gums and destruction of the hard tissues of the tooth. It is where the units are tightly pressed against each other that inflammatory processes occur.
In some cases, crowding causes tooth loss. Even a minor inflammation that a person does not notice, therefore, does not go to a specialist, after a certain time passes into the chronic stage. If left untreated, in a few years there will remain a completely toothless jaw.
This anomaly contributes to the formation of a traumatic bite. With crowding, certain units of the dentition increase the load when chewing food, due to which periodontal inflames and enamel is erased.
Treatment
Dentists fix this problem in various ways. A suitable treatment option is selected depending on the condition of the oral cavity, the individual characteristics of the patient and the degree of manifestation of the pathology. The most effective methods are the bracket system, the separation method and tooth extraction.
The last treatment option is resorted to when the incisors are too large. It is impossible to correct the dentition in this case without surgery. Basically, doctors remove the fours, fives or wisdom teeth on both jaws. After their extraction, nearby units begin to shift, the dentition aligns. The removal procedure is resorted to before the main therapy with the help of braces, plates or trainers. In rare cases, such therapy is an independent method.
Braces help to eliminate crowding of teeth. These orthodontic devices are installed by adolescents and even adult patients. Bracket systems are set for different periods, it all depends on the complexity of malocclusion. With their help, the teeth move to a new position. But if there is not enough space in the row, removal will be required.
Correction of crowding of teeth by separation method. It is carried out by the method of grinding enamel or the establishment of temporary struts in the intervals between units. Turning allows you to free up about 6 mm of space. Nowadays, this method is used instead of removal.
How to eliminate crowding of the front teeth without braces?
With a mild or moderate degree of pathology, they also use eliners and orthodontic mouthguards, which, like braces, move teeth. The alignment process, although slower, is more comfortable for the patient. With slight curvature, ceramic lumineers or veneers can be installed on individual units of teeth. Thus, it will be possible to align them without orthodontic therapy.
Teeth expansion with crowding of plates
Such manipulations are allowed to be carried out only after a thorough examination of the condition of periodontal tissues. The procedure itself is carried out in different ways, but most often use expansion plates. The result can be obtained by the systematic pressure of this device on the dentition. The device gradually gives the units the correct position. Plates are created individually. The best effect of such aligning teeth is noted in children and adolescents.
Terms of treatment
The treatment of crowded teeth is lengthy: from 6 months to 2 years. Correction of the size and position of the jaws should be dealt with from early childhood - with proper treatment, this will take no more than six months. In adults, unfortunately, it will not work to normalize bone curvature by orthodontic devices. In advanced cases, surgical intervention is indispensable.
How to avoid pathology?
To avoid unpleasant dental procedures, it is necessary to resort to preventive measures. To prevent crowding, you must:
- Give up bad habits.
- Constantly visit the dentist.
- Carefully monitor the formation of the jaw apparatus from childhood.
- Prosthetically lose lost milk teeth in time ahead of time.
Crowding of teeth is a dangerous and severe anomaly using unpleasant procedures to eliminate it, so the appearance of such a violation should be avoided in advance. The main preventive method is the timely elimination of all dental pathologies.