All about Misaligned Teeth

When your dentist tells you that you have “malocclusion”, it’s actually a more scientific term for misaligned teeth. Ideally, your teeth should fit snugly inside your mouth without any crowding or spacing between them, and they also should be straight—not rotated or twisted.

What’s the big deal with malocclusion anyway? Shouldn’t the teeth be doing its job regardless of its alignment or orientation? Unfortunately, no. If your teeth are misaligned, they really can’t work the way they’re supposed to, and even cause several health problems along the way.

Misaligned teeth are more prone to cavities and decay, and they can also adversely affect speech and even cause TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder), a condition which places a lot of strain on the jaw joints and facial muscles. TMD is also known to cause debilitating headaches, neck pains, and even pain when speaking or chewing.

Different factors have been identified to cause malocclusion. These include common habits and practices during childhood such as thumb-sucking and pacifier use; as well as more unavoidable predisposing factors like genetics. Conditions such as cleft lip and palate have also been linked to malocclusion. Either way, a bad bite is just that—bad. To prevent the health risks associated with it, it must be treated as early as possible.

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