Treatment for Overlapping Teeth
Overlapping teeth refers to a specific kind of problem affecting the alignment of your smile. The issue is just what it sounds like: certain teeth overlap or are position in front of adjacent teeth on the same dental arch. This will often affect the most prominent/visible teeth in a patient's smile. As you can imagine, these sorts of issues can have a negative impact on your dental health for a number of reasons.
The team at our Philadelphia dental care center offers a number of treatments for these sorts of issues, including traditional orthodontic braces and advanced forms of care. Let's take a moment to consider the dangers of overlapping teeth before looking at some treatments.
Problems Caused by Overlapping Teeth
Overlapping teeth can cause cosmetic as well as health issues.
In terms of the aesthetic issues, overlapping teeth can leave you feeling very self-conscious about speaking, laughing, and smiling, even around people you've known for many years. This can have a negative impact on your career if you're in a profession that involves lots of public interaction.
In terms of the health issues, overlapping teeth can lead to pain and discomfort as you bite and chew. This can make it difficult to eat many types of food. The overlapping teeth can also contribute to teeth grinding, which can then result in tooth damage, gum recession, and even TMJ disorders.
Thankfully there are many options available for treating teeth that overlap.
Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry for Overlapping Teeth
If the issues affecting the overlapping teeth are purely aesthetic, porcelain veneers or dental crowns may be considered for treatment,
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Porcelain Veneers – A veneer can be placed on the affected tooth or teeth in order to makes the imperfection and misalignment from view. The result is a smile that appears straight and pristine.
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Dental Crowns – A crown can be used to cap a tooth that's slightly overlapping another tooth. This improves the appearance of the tooth and restores proper function.
Orthodontics for Overlapping Teeth
The most common treatment for teeth that overlap is orthodontic care. This might include the use of braces, palatal expanders, and other kinds of appliances. Through the careful use of pressure and tension, an orthodontist can alter the position of the teeth and improve your overall dental alignment.
Orthodontic treatments can take a several months to complete if not more, but the result is a smile that's properly aligned and healthy as well.
Advanced Therapies for Overlapping Teeth
When the overlapping issues are too severe for orthodontic care alone, more advanced treatment options must be considered. Generally this means oral surgery to help reshape the bone structure, reposition the teeth, and perhaps even extract teeth.
Following oral surgery, orthodontic care as well as cosmetic and restorative procedures are used to help ensure ideal outcomes. All treatments are carefully tailored to ensure health and aesthetic problems are resolved.
Learn More About Your Dental Treatment Options
To learn more about your treatment options for overlapping and crooked teeth, be sure to contact an experienced orthodontist today. We look forward to your visit and discussing all of your treatment options in much greater detail.
