How Can Slightly Overlapping Teeth Be Corrected?

The ideal configuration for teeth is determined by their vertical dimension (their vertical eruption from the gums and growth to an optimal height), as well as their angle in the dental arch. Teeth should be straight, with appropriate interdental clearance, which is the space between your teeth. But this ideal configuration may not apply to your particular teeth. Sure, their vertical dimensions might be just fine, but instead of standing straight in the dental arch, they overlap with each other, giving you crooked teeth. Is this overlapping going to cause major dental problems later in life?

Significant vs. Minor Overlapping

Significant overlapping is likely to already have been identified by a dentist—often in childhood. This would have triggered a referral to an orthodontist, and braces may have been recommended. If your overlapping teeth are only something you're thinking about in adulthood, then it's unlikely to be a clinical problem (at this stage). 

Dental Arches

Teeth tend to overlap due to a lack of space in the dental arch when they first erupted. Your arch is the curved ridge covered by your gums—where your teeth grow from. Instead of being able to grow straight, teeth are forced against and then away from each other, causing them to overlap. Overlapping teeth can be more difficult to clean (some of their surface areas can be inaccessible), and so might be more vulnerable to cavities.

Clinical Problems

This vulnerability can cause clinical problems for your teeth in the future, and there's also the fact that they might overlap more as the years go by. Misaligned teeth can result in uneven bite pressure, and these uneven forces may cause your teeth to shift. Your teeth may only be slightly misaligned now, but this could conceivably worsen. Does this mean you need to report to an orthodontist to have braces fitted?

Orthodontic Treatment

Yes, you'll need to see an orthodontist. No, you won't definitely need braces. Minor overlapping can often be corrected with clear aligners. These are less obvious than braces, and less intensive from a patient's perspective. The necessary measurements are taken, and a series of aligners are manufactured for you, with each in the series further gently manipulating your teeth into the desired position within your now adult-size dental arch.

Clear aligners are also called invisible braces, and so are a less conspicuous way of reducing and then eliminating the various overlaps in your dental arch. For more information, contact a company like Koehn Dentistry & Aesthetics.