Reviewed By Dr. Jodi Kuhn
Reading time: 4 minutes
Crooked teeth can affect more than appearance. Tooth alignment plays a direct role in chewing, speech, oral hygiene, jaw comfort, and long-term dental health. Some issues are mild and mostly cosmetic, while others can affect how the upper and lower teeth fit together, increase wear, or make certain areas harder to clean.
We provide dental care for the whole family at our offices in Denver, Aurora, Thornton, and Hampden. We proudly accept Medicaid and make quality dental care accessible for every child.
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Dental and Vision Care in One Convenient Location
At our Denver and Aurora locations, Youth Dentistry & Orthodontics and Youth Vision are conveniently located in the same building. This means your child can receive both dental and vision care at one familiar location, without extra travel or scheduling stress.
1) Crowded Teeth
Crowding happens when there is not enough space in the dental arch for teeth to erupt or align properly. This causes teeth to overlap, twist, or sit in front of or behind neighboring teeth.
Crowding is one of the most common reasons people seek orthodontic treatment because it can:
- Make brushing and flossing harder
- Increase plaque buildup
- Raise cavity and gum disease risk
- Cause uneven tooth wear
- Affect smile appearance
Mild crowding may only affect one area, while severe crowding can involve multiple teeth across the arch.
2) Diastema (Spacing Between Teeth)
A diastema is a gap between two teeth, most commonly between the upper front teeth. Spacing can also happen in multiple areas across the mouth.
Common causes include:
- Natural jaw-tooth size differences
- Missing teeth
- Small teeth
- Habits such as thumb sucking
- A prominent labial frenum (lip tie) between the front teeth
Not every gap needs treatment, but spacing can sometimes trap food, affect bite balance, or change smile symmetry.
3) Crossbite
A crossbite happens when one or more upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth instead of slightly outside them. This can affect the front teeth, back teeth, or both.
Crossbites may lead to:
- Uneven tooth wear
- Gum recession in affected teeth
- Jaw shifting during closure
- Bite asymmetry
- Long-term jaw discomfort
Because crossbites can affect jaw movement patterns, they are one of the bite issues that often benefits from early orthodontic correction.
4) Underbite
An underbite occurs when the lower teeth extend in front of the upper teeth. In many cases, the lower jaw sits further forward than the upper jaw.
This can contribute to:
- Difficulty biting into foods
- Increased stress on front teeth
- Uneven jaw growth patterns
- Speech concerns
- Facial profile changes
The severity can range from mild tooth-position issues to larger skeletal jaw discrepancies.
5) Open Bite
An open bite means the upper and lower teeth do not touch in certain areas when the mouth closes. It most often affects the front teeth.
This may make it harder to:
- Bite into foods like sandwiches
- Pronounce certain sounds clearly
- Keep proper tongue posture
- Maintain balanced bite force
Open bites may develop from habits, tongue thrusting, airway issues, or jaw growth patterns.
6) Deep Bite
A deep bite happens when the upper front teeth excessively overlap the lower front teeth vertically. In more severe cases, the lower front teeth may contact the roof of the mouth.
A deep bite can cause:
- Accelerated wear of front teeth
- Gum irritation
- Chipping risk
- Jaw muscle strain
- Discomfort when chewing
This type of bite can increase pressure on the front teeth and lead to gradual enamel wear.
7) Overjet
An overjet refers to the horizontal distance between the upper and lower front teeth when the upper teeth project too far forward. People often describe this as “buck teeth.”
This may increase the risk of:
- Trauma to front teeth
- Lip closure difficulty
- Bite imbalance
- Speech concerns
- Cosmetic concerns
Overjet is different from a deep bite because it describes horizontal projection, not vertical overlap.
8) Rotated Teeth
A rotated tooth has turned out of its normal position. This can happen to a single tooth or several teeth.
Rotation commonly affects:
- Canines
- Premolars
- Front teeth
- Teeth erupting into crowded spaces
Even mild rotation can create plaque-retentive areas that make oral hygiene harder.
9) Midline Misalignment
This happens when the center line between the upper front teeth does not line up with the center line between the lower front teeth.
It may be caused by:
- Uneven tooth eruption
- Missing teeth
- Jaw asymmetry
- Crossbite patterns
- Previous tooth shifting
A midline issue may be subtle cosmetically but can also reflect a larger bite imbalance.
Why Crooked Teeth Should Be Evaluated
Not every crooked tooth causes a problem, but alignment issues can affect more than a smiles appearance.
Evaluation is important when tooth position contributes to:
- Difficulty cleaning between teeth
- Frequent plaque buildup
- Gum inflammation
- Uneven bite force
- Jaw discomfort
- Speech changes
- Faster enamel wear
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Early evaluation allows orthodontists to monitor jaw growth, tooth eruption, and bite development, even if treatment is not immediately needed.
Supporting Healthy Smiles At Every Age
Crooked teeth and bite concerns can affect patients at any age. At Youth Dentistry & Orthodontics, our team evaluates tooth alignment, bite development, jaw position, and long-term oral health needs for children, teens, and adults.
We provide care for the entire family, from preventive pediatric visits to braces and other orthodontic treatment for bite correction and long-term smile health.
Orthodontist in Aurora, CO
To schedule a dental exam at our Aurora location, call (303) 343-3133 or visit us at 14251 E 6th Ave, Aurora, CO 80011.
Other locations:
📍Youth Dentistry & Orthodontics in Denver | (303) 825-2295
📍Thornton Youth Dentistry and Orthodontics | (303) 280-8878
📍Hampden Youth Dentistry and Orthodontics | (720) 826-3694
FAQs
What is the most common type of bite misalignment?
Crowding is one of the most common types because many people do not have enough room in the jaw for all teeth to align properly.
What causes crooked teeth?
Crooked teeth can develop from genetics, differences in jaw size, early or late loss of baby teeth, habits such as thumb sucking, or shifting that occurs over time. In some cases, bite imbalances and jaw growth patterns also contribute to misalignment.
Can you get orthodontic treatment as an adult?
Yes. Orthodontic treatment is common for adults and can address crowding, spacing, and bite concerns. Treatment may help improve oral hygiene, reduce uneven wear, and support long term dental health.
