There are many proverbs and rumors about crooked teeth and many curiosities about orthodontics. In this post, we see the answer to your most common questions, remembering the importance of contacting an orthodontic specialist such as the dentists who work at MC20. This is the professional who deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of irregularities of the face and teeth and who knows how to propose the best solution to crooked teeth. What are the doubts that people ask themselves, and what are the answers? Let’s find out together!
Crooked teeth: is there a genetic inheritance for crooked teeth?
In this case, the answer is dependent, since surely there is a hereditary influence on the facial features, from the shape of the nose to the jaw, but also in the smile. Studies and researches show that malocclusions attributable to skeletal conditions have a hereditary component.
The alterations of the teeth, on the other hand, depend on environmental factors such as the type of breathing, the sucking of the finger, or atypical swallowing. The hereditary factor is particularly felt when it comes to the prognathism of the jaw or the so-called “forward jaw”. The same goes for dental agenesis, or the genetic lack of some teeth, and the inclusion of the upper canine.
Who wears orthodontic appliances is more prone to tooth decay?
The answer from the MC20 specialists is negative since tooth decay is not caused by the appliance, but by poor oral hygiene. Of course, those who wear orthodontic braces have greater difficulties at brushing their teeth and their mouth that requires special care, but we repeat: there is no direct correlation between braces and caries. To avoid this problem, the advice is to do a professional cleaning two or three times a year as an integral part of orthodontic treatment and always follow the dentist’s advice for oral hygiene at home.
How long does an orthodontic treatment take on average?
Duration and cost of orthodontic treatment vary and depend on the complexity of the intervention and the goal to be achieved. Before making the diagnosis and estimate, the dentist will analyze the situation of the mouth with x-rays, photographs, and scans of the dental arches.
On average, orthodontic treatment in children lasts about a year, while in adolescents it hardly exceeds two years. The case of orthodontics for adults is different, as it takes 7 months to straighten teeth with an invisible appliance such as Invisalign. However, the situation varies greatly based on various factors, and the times shown here are purely indicative.
Orthodontics: is there a risk that the teeth will come back crooked?
Unfortunately, MC20 dentists remind patients that after brace therapy the teeth tend to go back to their previous position. For this reason, in the first months after the end of orthodontic treatment, maintenance with a restraint device that is part of orthodontic therapy is essential.
Few people know that teeth tend to move throughout life, and it is, therefore, difficult to maintain a beautiful smile for a long time. What to do? The dentists at the MC20 dental clinic recommend undergoing periodic check-ups, particularly during the dental and skeletal growth of the teenager, but also of the adult.
Having a beautiful smile is a real job as a patient and dentist, and the best orthodontic treatment is the personalized one. For this reason, at MC20 we study every single case with due attention, and we know how to guarantee visible, concrete, and lasting results to all our patients by answering every doubt and question about crooked teeth and orthodontic treatments.