Everyone would love to have the perfect Hollywood smile where every tooth is pearly white and completely straight. Unfortunately, reality does not work like that. We all have dental problems that bother us and could use some
cosmetic reconstruction. The local Fredericksburg orthodontist knows how to fix teeth and to give patients the smile they want.
When most people get their adult teeth, the teeth are fairly close to each other. There is enough space for proper flossing. For many reasons, some people have teeth that are spaced-out widely. Some children start out with largely-gapped teeth and have the same problem with their permanent teeth. These big gaps are more than just aesthetic problems. Widely-spaced teeth can be caused by medical problems and can even indicate other disorders.
Causes
There is a lot of information for parents who are concerned about widely spaced teeth in their children. Here are some of the possible causes for this condition in children:
Genetic: Some children just inherit widely spaced teeth from their parents. There are some races that are predisposed to a gap between the incisors. If just the incisors are affected, many orthodontists will leave it alone unless the patient wants the gap to be closed.
Missing teeth: Of course, there will be a small gap when a child loses a baby tooth until the permanent tooth grows. Sometimes, there is no permanent tooth and the space remains empty. This gives more room for the teeth to become crooked and to collect more bacteria.
Disease: There are certain disorders of the body that can cause the teeth to have gaps. It can be a periodontal problem. If enough infection has built up in the gums and teeth, it can lead to sepsis, a potentially fatal condition.
Trauma of the face: If there has been facial trauma and teeth are affected, it can cause future gaps in the teeth.
Possible Health Problems
Having widely-spaced teeth can not only affect people mentally and emotionally, but it can also cause physical problems. These are some of the problems that patients can experience:
Gum Disease: Widely-space teeth can cause periodontal, or gum diseases. This disease is caused by bacteria forming into plaque. If there are wide spaces between the teeth, and the gums fit loosely around them, there is plenty of room for bacteria to grow.
General Health Problems: People who have wide spaces between their teeth can suffer from toothaches, sore jaws, and headaches. As bacteria build up, it can cause infections in the mouth and gums that can lead to serious problems such as coronary disease, pneumonia, diabetes, and even strokes.
Cleaning difficulty: Bacteria can thrive when patients with gapped teeth have a difficult time brushing and flossing.
Difficulty chewing: When there are large spaces between the teeth, the upper and lower jaws do not meet correctly and chewing can be difficult or even painful.
Increased bad breath: The increased bacteria caused by gapped teeth can lead to constant bad breath. This can be a socially embarrassing problem.
How Can Invisalign Straighten an Adult's Teeth?
Increases tooth wear: Gapped teeth are often misaligned and can rub against each other and damage the tooth enamel and the whole tooth. This condition can cause painful toothaches.
Increases chances of injured teeth: Teeth with a wide space are more apt to crack or chip in an accident. The whole tooth could be lost, causing an even greater gap.
Mental/Psychological damage: Scientific reports have shown positive correlations between a beautiful smile and how much a person smiles. Further studies link smiling to stress relief and an improvement in brain functioning. Having wide gaps in the teeth can reduce self-esteem and confidence. This can lead to smiling less and losing its many benefits.
Orthodontic Treatment for Widely-Spaced Teeth
For some people, there just may be a wide gap between the incisors and the other teeth are fine. This is more of a cosmetic problem. There are several famous people who have a gap between their front teeth. If an orthodontic patient does not want to keep it, it is an easy fix. Even patients who have severely gapped teeth can get treatment from an orthodontist to correct their smile.
One of the most common ways of fixing widely-gapped teeth is with braces. Teenagers and adults who have their permanent teeth can be suited with different types of braces. With time and adjustments, the gaps between the teeth are closed. After the teeth are corrected, many people continue to wear spacers to keep the gaps from reappearing.
There are severe cases where teeth are actually missing in the gaps. In these cases, the orthodontist may include partials and veneers along with the braces to correct the smile. It will take several months for patients to notice a difference.
Gapped teeth can create havoc for a person physically, mentally, and emotionally. There are some cases where the orthodontist can catch the condition early enough in children to treat it. Since there are so many reasons that can cause teeth to have spaces, there is really no way to thoroughly prevent it. The good news is that the condition is easy
to treat and there is no reason why anyone should have to suffer the consequences from it.
If you live in the Fredericksburg, North Stafford and King George area, you can get the help you need for your teeth. You can go to an orthodontist in Fredericksburg for the treatments that you need for widely-gapped teeth. The
friendly and knowledgeable staff will ease the fears you may have.
Orthodontists will completely examine and x-ray your mouth to see the extent of your condition. Then, the orthodontist will thoroughly explain what treatments are recommended and about how long it will take to improve your smile. The orthodontist will work with you until your treatments are finished. Call today for your spaced teeth treatment in Fredericksburg. You will love your beautiful new smile!
Beecroft Orthodontics
11113 Leavells Rd. Fredericksburg, VA 22407 Phone: 540 898 2200
How Can Widely-Spaced Teeth Impact Your Overall Health