Orthodontist Questions Teeth, And Gum Care

How is overcrowding of the teeth corrected?

I have had braces twice when I was little, mostly to correct overcrowding at my bottom front teeth. Now, I can feel it happening again. There is a lot of pressure. But I don't want braces again... what can I do?

14 Answers

Invisible Aligners may be an option. DO NOT use the Do It Your Self ones you see on TV., unless you want to damage your teeth. I have had patients come in who tried these, not good. See a Board Certified Orthodontist not a general dentist who does ortho. My personal opinion. Hope this helps
See an orthodontist that does Invisalign. When your teeth are straight, wear your retainer full time for awhile, then wear your retainer from time to time, forever. Everything in the body changes over time, including your teeth.
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There are different types of removal appliances, along with Invisalign, that could be used to straighten teeth without doing conventional braces. An orthodontist could discuss these with you and explain your treatment options.
Hello, this is a common problem for everyone. We have learned over the years that everyone gets changes in the positions of the teeth over time. The most common change is crowding of the lower teeth. In a lot of cases this can be realigned with clear aligners and then held with a fixed retainer. This type of retainer is a wire behind the lower front teeth. Based off research, most orthodontists recommend a lifetime retention to prevent continued tooth movement. Do not be surprised if your orthodontist discusses some interproximal reduction. This means they will create some space by lightly reducing the widths of the lower front teeth. I hope this helps!
If the teeth have become mildly misaligned a retainer may be able to correct the problem. If it is more than slight misalignment clear aligners like Invisalign can be used. You should see an orthodontist to discuss your options. The longer you wait the more expensive your options become.
You may be a good candidate for clear aligner therapy. Otherwise investing in a retainer could be a viable option to prevent additional overcrowding.
How about Invisalign? It is a serries of clear plastic trays you wear 22 out of 24 hours per day and change weekly. To determine how long you would have to wear them please see an orthodontist and if you are in NYC I am inviting you for a free consultation. Please set in up through www.perfectsmilesny.com or call 646-368-1819.
Clear aligners such as Invisalign may correct your overcrowding. Once it is corrected, you will need to wear a retainer at night to keep the teeth from crowding again as teeth tend to continue moving slightly throughout life if no retainer is worn.

If I were you, I would find a Board Certified Orthodontist in your area and call to see if they offer a free consultation. These consultations are usually pretty quick and may involve some complimentary photos and x-rays as well as an office tour to let you get a feel for the competence and friendliness of the orthodontist and their staff.

This website will allow you to find a Board Certified Orthodontist.

https://www.americanboardortho.com/general-public/orthodontist-locator/
I would highly encourage you to see an orthodontist to see what is going on and to treat a malocclusion early to avoid complications.
Do see an orthodontist in your area. Catching an issue early might be as simple as having a retainer made to resist any further movement or potentially to correct any minor crowding. Invisalign or removable clear tray type treatment may also be an option that would work really well for you. Unfortunately, if your teeth are shifting again, then more than likely they will continue to move over time, leading to a much more extensive situation.
As an adult, realign them with removeable retainers or invisalign. Hold them with a fixed retainer or nightly removeable one. Chronic clenching or bruxing at night is a common cause of lowers moving as an adult.
The correction of overcrowding is not difficult. If it is resolved WITHOUT the removal of teeth, the dental arch(es) are typically developed by moving teeth outward (away from the tongue).
The key is retention. My rule of thumb is a permanent or 'fixed' retainer for at least three years to allow the teeth to get stable in their new positions, before I can feel comfortable trusting a removeable retainer! Knowing how UNSTABLE teeth are after they've been moved...I just don't trust a removeable retainer to hold until stable.
There are some cases where overcrowding is severe enough that removing teeth makes sense (sometimes), but in today's orthodontics, we're able to do more and more cases non-extraction.
Hello!

Most people are candidates for orthodontic treatment. You would be looking at something like Invisalign (clear plastic aligners) if you do not want braces.

Have a good one!
By using a Fixed Lingual Wire retainer on the front 6 teeth on the inside of your teeth. I use this as an orthodontist on 99% of my patients to retain the final result.