21 Apr

Ask an Arizona Dentist: What Causes a Crooked Smile?

Have you ever wondered why some people just naturally have that perfect smile and others spend a lot of time at a cosmetic dentist or in an orthodontist’s chair to get there?

Well, the easy answer would be to blame your parents! While obviously it’s not quite that simple, there certainly is some truth to that sentiment.

There are two camps when it comes to crooked smiles. There are those with “lower-face asymmetry” and then those with “crooked teeth, underbite or overbite.”

Lower-Face Asymmetry

Previous studies seem to indicate that the likely source of the crooked smile caused by a crooked jaw or “lower-face asymmetry” comes down to the early stages of life.

Your Arizona dentist can spot this lower-face asymmetry almost immediately. This is when teeth bite forward or backward on just one side of the face.

According to researchers, how your lower jaw forms and develops this asymmetry all comes down to the very early stages of pregnancy–the first one thousand days to be exact. It is believed that stress endured by the mother and child while the child is in the womb can lead to a crooked jaw.

Crooked Teeth, Underbite & Overbite

While lower-face asymmetry may be a sign of fetal stress, having crooked teeth, an underbite or overbite are all likely linked more closely to your genetics (thanks, Mom and Dad!).

Are you suffering from any of the conditions listed above? Whether you have a crooked smile caused by a crooked jaw, crooked teeth, or an overbite, contact Lifetime Family Dental today for your dental consultation!

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (4/21/2017) cbiiidesigns – pickleball rocks! (Flickr)