Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
Do you have one tooth in front of another in your mouth? This means that you have teeth that overlap, and it is more common than you might think. If you have overlapping teeth, this can cause multiple concerns, with regard to the aesthetics of your smile and even potentially jeopardizing your dental health. Today on the blog, your dentists in Scotts Valley take a deeper look at this issue and how we can correct the problem.
What causes overlapping teeth?
Teeth overlap when there is not enough space in the jaw to properly accommodate all of your teeth in their preferred positions. Overlapping teeth often manifest when a child keeps sucking their thumb or fingers even after their permanent teeth emerge from the gum line. A person is also more susceptible to experiencing overlapping teeth if their mouth is not large enough to accommodate all of their teeth.
Other causes of dental overlap may include:
- Genetics
- Dental crowding
- Prolonged bottle feeding
- A cleft lip and/or palate
- Improperly fitting dental restorations
Teeth that overlap are more difficult to keep clean. Specifically, it can be hard to fully brush and floss the overlapped tooth because it is obscured in the mouth. Overlapping teeth also can lead to an assortment of issues with the alignment of your bite, including an overbite, an underbite or a crossbite.
3 Ways a dentist can correct dental overlap
Clear aligner therapy: As an alternative to orthodontic treatment with braces, this entails wearing transparent aligners that are made to fit snugly against your teeth and exert gentle pressure to guide those teeth into the preferred alignment. Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry is a certified provider of Invisalign for patients in the Central Coast region of California.
Functional orthodontics: One of the specialties offered at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, this is a method of treatment that goes beyond braces or aligner therapy, using oral appliances to achieve a variety of goals, including improving the facial profile, realigning the bite and even helping with breathing problems. This method of orthodontic treatment can be used as a means of early intervention, on even young children, whereas traditional orthodontic treatment usually waits until adolescence or older.
Veneers: If your dental overlap is minor, you can conceal it and create the appearance of straighter teeth by receiving dental veneers. While this does not address any misalignment or overlap, it conceals those issues, giving you what appear to be straight and perfect-looking teeth. Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry works with veneers made of dental porcelain – a material that is beautiful, durable, resistant to surface stains and possesses a translucency similar to genuine tooth enamel.
Get straighter teeth in Los Gatos, Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, California
Whether your dental overlap is minor or significant, Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry can help. Dr. Max and Dr. Ariana both specialize in orthodontic treatment and are supported by our team of experienced oral health professionals. To learn more about how we can treat dental overlap or any of the other services that we offer, schedule your consultation today. Just visit us online or call our office in Scotts Valley at (831) 438-4411.
