Why Am I Being Recommended for Treatment?

My teeth look ok, why am I being recommended treatment?

The most obvious reason for orthodontic treatment is crooked teeth. When the front teeth are crooked, rotated, and just generally not in line, the reason for braces or Invisalign is pretty obvious. Sometimes a parent will bring in their child for me to evaluate and tell me- I don’t think little Susie needs braces. The front teeth aren’t very crooked.

Little Susie might not have a lot of crowding, but orthodontists don’t only evaluate your teeth based on how crowded, spaced, or crooked they are. We look carefully at your bite as well. The way that the back teeth come together, and the overjet and overbite in the front are evaluated.

If the bite is off from where it should be- then we have a discussion about how to correct it. A proper bite can often lead to less wear of the teeth over time and improved function. Often the bite can be effectively improved when a patient is still growing. The amount of bite correction becomes more limited once growth has stopped, but even adults can achieve an improved bite with orthodontic treatment. So, even if the front teeth aren’t that crooked, there could be a significant bite discrepancy hanging out on the side.