Overlapping Teeth Can Be Corrected for a Beautiful Smile in Arlington

At Stephen Ratcliff Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we provide innovative cosmetic dentistry. That means we correct all types of smile imperfections.

Overlapping teeth are fairly common. And while many people don’t mind a slight overlap, others feel self-conscious and would like it corrected.

What causes teeth to overlap?

Genetics or thumbsucking as a toddler can lead to overlapping teeth. Of course, some kids have teeth that just came in that way.

The mouth may be too small to fit all the teeth correctly. Or having upper and lower jaws that don’t fit together can be a factor. In addition, an injury can knock the upper and lower jaw out of alignment. In some cases, missing teeth or extra teeth (such as wisdom teeth) can lead to an overlap.

Unfortunately, overlapping teeth can cause oral problems.

When does it become important to correct overlapping teeth?

• Overlapping teeth cause a lisp
• make chewing or speaking difficult,
• result in jaw pain,
• trigger tooth grinding or clenching, and cause the person to bite their inner cheeks.

Certainly, there are benefits to fixing overlapping teeth in addition to cosmetic reasons.

How can you fix overlapping teeth? There are several methods for adjusting overlapping teeth. Each has benefits and drawbacks. Discuss them with your dentist or orthodontist.

Are traditional braces the only way to fix overlapping teeth?

There are a few different types of braces available for correcting overlapping teeth:

• Clear aligners
• Invisalign
• Traditional braces

How long does it take to fix overlapping teeth?

The length of treatment varies depending on the severity of the overlap and other factors. However, in most cases it can take at least one year to fix overlapping teeth, depending on the treatment.

Are overlapping teeth causing you oral dilemmas?

If overlapping teeth cause complications such as tooth or jaw pain, difficulty speaking clearly, or damaging oral habits, it is wise to consider correcting them. Correcting overlapping teeth can help do away with bad habits like tooth grinding, clenching the teeth, and biting the cheeks.

Another thing to keep in mind is that teeth continue to shift with age. Therefore, if you fix an overlap as a child or teen, you will likely need a retainer to maintain the teeth’s position.