No matter how well we care for our smiles, there are still things in the world today that can cause crooked teeth. This is quite unfortunate, because a misaligned smile can lower the self-esteem and make life difficult–especially because it can promote dental issues and even make biting and eating tough. To help you know a little more about a crooked smile, our orthodontist, Dr. Michael Bowen, and orthodontic team are happy to tell you all about the causes of crooked teeth.

The first cause is the natural smile growth and tooth movement. This can have a lot to do with genetics. It can include extra teeth, large teeth, missing teeth, small jaws, and even widely spaced teeth. These are all causes of a crowded or spaced mouth. If the mouth is crowded, the teeth tend to move behind or in front of the teeth next to them. If the teeth are too widely spaced, it can tempt the teeth to move into the gap and create orthodontic issues.

The second cause is a habit that adds pressure to the teeth. This can include anything like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting (where you push the tongue against the back of the front teeth), premature loss of baby teeth, and even a poor breathing airway due to enlarged tonsils.

If you have any questions or if you would like to know more about the causes behind crooked teeth in Scottsdale, Arizona, please contact Great Big Smiles Orthodontics at 480-948-4200 at your earliest convenience. Our orthodontic team looks forward to helping you!