What causes crooked teeth?

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Greenberg Orthodontics & TMJ

Dr. Vickie Greenberg and our team hear this question a lot. Some of the common reasons for crooked teeth include:

• Thumb-sucking
• Tongue thrusting or improper use of the tongue during speaking and swallowing
• Premature loss of baby teeth, which causes teeth to drift and shift
• Poor breathing airway caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils

There are also hereditary factors we get from our parents, like:

• Extra teeth
• Large teeth
• Missing teeth
• Wide spaces between teeth
• Small jaws

Dr. Vickie Greenberg and our team know that having crooked teeth isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it can lead to serious health problems as well. Crooked teeth can:

• Interfere with proper chewing
• Make keeping teeth clean more of a challenge, increasing the risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gingivitis
• Strain the teeth, jaws, and muscles, increasing the risk of breaking a tooth

There are several treatment options we offer at Vickie Greenberg Orthodontics that can help correct crooked teeth. Please give us a call at our convenient Altadena, CA office to learn more or to schedule an initial consultation.