Your general dentist helps treat cavities and similar issues. However, besides decay and disease, your teeth can grow improperly. An orthodontist helps change the position of the teeth to improve functionality and/or appearance.

If you would like to know more, check out these four reasons you need an orthodontist.  

1. Twisted Teeth

If there isn't enough room in the mouth, the tooth may twist to fit into the jaw. Twisted teeth interfere with the appearance of your smile, but they also interfere with cleaning, increasing the risk of decay, infection, and discoloration. Depending on the location and severity, twisted teeth can also affect your speech.

Typically, for twisted teeth, you need traditional braces to move and rotate the teeth. Invisalign aligners are not the ideal option for twisted teeth.

2. Crowded/Crooked Teeth

Crowded and crooked teeth may also develop when the mouth is too small. This is a common problem for many people, and while it can affect any teeth, it often affects the wisdom teeth or third molars. Teeth may also grow crooked if you lost primary teeth early due to decay.

Primary teeth serve as pathways for permanent teeth. If a primary tooth is lost early, the permanent tooth loses that path and may grow crooked. Depending on the severity, your dentist may recommend traditional braces or Invisalign.

3. Gaps Between Teeth

Gaps may develop if there is too much room in the mouth, but gaps can also appear because teeth are midsized or other teeth are overlapping. However, other causes include:

• Overgrowth of the labial frenum (causing a gap between the two front teeth)
• Incorrectly sized jawbone
• Bad habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting
• Early loss of primary teeth to decay

Of course, gaps are normal in kids with primary teeth. Since you have more permanent teeth than primary teeth, there are usually lots of gaps between primary teeth. An orthodontist can help you determine if the gaps are normal or too big/small, which could lead to future problems. Luckily, traditional braces and Invisalign are effective at correcting gaps.

4. Misaligned Bite

In some cases, the entire bit doesn't fit correctly. You may have an overbite, in which the upper teeth jut out too far. With an underbite, the lower teeth stick out too far. If your teeth don't fully touch when you close your mouth (especially the front teeth), you may have an open bite.

A deep bite occurs when the top front teeth cover some of the bottom teeth instead of sitting on top of them. Last, a crossbite happens when the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth. this can affect the front teeth and molars. Treatment usually requires traditional braces.

An orthodontist can help improve the appearance of your smile and improve its functionality. If you would like to know more, contact an orthodontist in your area today.

Reach out to an orthodontic clinic for more information