There are many causes of overcrowding, gaps and crooked teeth. For some people it can be inherited or possibly acquired, either due to a habit (sucking of the thumb, prolonged use of a dummy), or because of the premature loss of milk teeth or adult teeth.

Orthodontic treatments have evolved enormously over the last 20 years. Now problems such as gaps between the teeth, crowded teeth, overbite (upper teeth covering the majority of the lower ones), open bite (upper and lower teeth almost don’t touch) and cross bites can all be treated.

Orthodontic problems can have a profound impact on a person and their social and professional life. Depending on the extent of a problem, you might even be too self-conscious to smile. Effective orthodontic treatment not only improves your appearance, but also goes a long way to improving your self-confidence.

The correction of poor dental positioning also improves oral hygiene, as crowded or crooked teeth are often hard to clean properly. With such an improvement, the risk of gum disease for example – which can result in loss of teeth in extreme cases – is prevented.

Orthodontic treatment improves chewing efficiency by re-establishing the correct relationship between lower and upper teeth, removing the difficulty you may have when chewing certain kinds of food, and so providing better nutrition. 

In some cases, orthodontics can also prevent complications in the temporomandibular joint (the joint which joins the jaw to the skull). Chronic pain in the head, face, neck or ears, as well as dizziness, nausea and restricted ability to open and close the mouth can originate here.