Why are my lips crooked when I smile? Why is my smile crooked? These and more are questions that many people with an uneven smile are asking every day. This guide will answer these questions, walk you through everything you need to know about crooked teeth and show you how you can fix crooked teeth.
Our smile speaks a lot, and we need to do everything possible to maintain a perfect smile. Having a beautiful smile can enhance your level of confidence. However, having a crooked smile might make you feel depressed or unpleasant, making you feel less confident and always holding your beautiful smile back.
When you meet people, your smile is one of the first things they notice, and as you know, the first impression matters a lot. However, unfortunately, many people are not born with straight or perfectly aligned teeth, which has affected their smiles.
According to an American Association of Orthodontists survey, over 30 percent of Americans are unhappy with their smile. Many people are not satisfied with their smiles, and one of the significant causes is misaligned or crooked teeth.
Table of Content
Why is My Smile Crooked?
For those who do not know, a crooked smile is a smile that is not straight, uneven, slanted, or not leveled. Why is my lip crooked when I smile? Why is my smile suddenly crooked? Why is my mouth crooked when I smile?
Well, a crooked smile is caused by misaligned or crooked teeth; there is a wide range of causes of misaligned or crooked teeth. Some of the common factors that play a vital role in the shape and look of your teeth include:
Genetics
Genetics is one of the major causes of this dental condition. Most humans have more control over the shape, alignment, and size of their teeth than they do over the color of their skin or hair. Skin issues or hair loss may not be hereditary. However, if crooked teeth and dental crowding are common dental issues in your family, chances are you will also suffer from the same condition.
You might not be able to escape this condition if your parents suffer from it. The size of your mouth can also be determined by genetics. People with a smaller mouth are more likely to have crowded teeth.
Crowded teeth can result in the shifting of other teeth, causing your smile to lose alignment. If your jaws are not aligned properly, they can also affect your smile – usually the cause of overbite and underbite.
Poor Childhood Habits
Why is my upper lip crooked when I smile with my teeth? Well, you can also experience a crooked smile due to poor childhood habits. Children between the ages of 5 and 7 years tend to be at a higher risk of developing crooked teeth. The chances of developing crooked teeth are even higher if bad habits become the child’s routine.
Infants and toddlers are known to suck their thumbs, and it is acceptable at that tender age. This natural phenomenon occurs when they are trying to comfort or self-soothe themselves.
Nevertheless, if the child grows up with this habit until the permanent teeth start coming out, it might suffer permanent damage to the teeth. Once a child passes that infancy stage, prolonged thumb sucking can hurt permanent teeth, such as changing their position.
This bad childhood habit can cause overcrowding, a misaligned bite, and crooked teeth. It can also affect the shape of the mouth’s roof. If the shape of the mouth’s roof is affected, it can affect the individual’s speech, making it difficult to pronounce certain letters.
Facial or Oral Injury
Another common cause of crooked smiles is facial or oral injury. Why is my smile crooked after falling? The mouth is susceptible to all types of damages. According to data from Dentcare.com, over 5 million teeth are displaced from their gums every year. Sports injury is one of the major causes of this type of injury.
This type of injury can be minor or severe. In extreme cases, the injury might completely take out more than one tooth or shift the jaw’s position. In such cases, the remaining teeth would have to reposition themselves to cover the free space in the mouth. When this happens, the patient involved will have an imbalanced or misaligned smile.
Moreover, if you have a chipped tooth, check this article on the cost of fixing chipped teeth.
Everything You Need to Know About Smile Makeover
Smile makeovers are one of the quickest and most effective fixes to this dental issue. This cosmetic dental procedure helps to modify the appearance of the teeth, bite, or smile. If you are not happy with the look of your teeth, then a smile makeover can be the solution you need.
Nevertheless, the primary aim of a smile makeover is not only to improve the appearance of your teeth; it provides a wide range of other benefits. For instance, misaligned teeth can cause bad breath and gum disease, and aligning the teeth correctly can help alleviate those oral conditions and improve your overall oral health.
What Dental Problems Can a Smile Makeover Fix?
A smile makeover can help resolve many dental issues, some of which include:
- Uneven teeth
- Misaligned teeth
- Cracked or chipped teeth
- Tooth length
- Missing teeth
- Discolored teeth
- Teeth proportion
- Asymmetrical smile lines
Benefits of a Smile Makeover
Boost Confidence
One of the significant benefits of a smile makeover is that it boosts your confidence and makes you feel like a brand new person. This cosmetic dental procedure has a track record of decreasing anxiety and improving self-confidence. This means you can go out on dates and smile in public comfortably. It helps to resolve different issues causing crooked smiles, such as misaligned teeth or uneven gums.
Great First Impression
A great smile always makes a great first impression, and we all know that first impressions matter a lot. When you smile at people, you make them feel welcomed. According to research, a healthy, bright smile is associated with positive attributes such as success and trustworthiness. Your smile plays a vital role in making a great impression.
Enhance Overall Oral Health
In addition to enhancing the shape and appearance of your teeth, a smile makeover can also improve your overall oral health. There is a connection between your teeth, oral health, and overall wellbeing. As such, taking care of your dental health will help improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Crooked teeth provide a conducive environment for bacteria, which increases your chances of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Fortunately, straightening and aligning your teeth properly will help to prevent these issues and enhance your overall health.
Improved Dental Function
A smile makeover can also enhance your dental function. People with unhealthy teeth find it difficult to drink and eat a particular food. Chewing certain food becomes a problem when the teeth are not healthy. This restorative procedure will restore your dental health, making it easy for you to eat whatever you want.
What Problems Come with Crooked Teeth and Misaligned Bites?
| Problems Associated with Crooked Smile | Short and Long-Term Solutions to Crooked Smile | |
| Erosion of gum tissues | Dental fixes such as braces and clear aligners | |
| Cleaning difficulty | Facial exercise | |
| Chewing difficulty | Surgery | |
| Tooth Sensitivity |
There are diverse effects of misaligned bites and crooked teeth. This dental condition does not only affect the cosmetic of your teeth and smile; it can also affect your overall health and wellbeing. Why is my smile crooked after botox for synkinesis? Here are some of the problems associated with crooked teeth and misaligned bites.
Erosion of Gum Tissues
The gums are there to protect the teeth, ensuring they are firm in the jaws. According to a health report, almost 50 percent of American adults suffer from gum disease, so keeping your gum tissue healthy is always very important to protect your teeth.
Crooked teeth play a crucial role in the overall health of your gum. According to CDC, one of the significant risk factors of gum disease is misaligned bites. Misaligned teeth can add more stress to the alveolar bone and gums, resulting in gum recession and inflammation.
Cleaning Difficulty
Another common issue with this dental problem is difficulty in cleaning. People with crooked teeth find it very difficult to clean their teeth. When the teeth are crowded or overlapping each other, flossing or brushing them would become an issue.
This usually puts the patient at risk of tooth decay and gum disease. To prevent periodontal disease and cavities, people with crooked teeth need to be visiting their dentist regularly.
Difficulty in Chewing
Crooked or misaligned teeth also make chewing very difficult. People with misaligned bites usually find it difficult to break down food thoroughly before swallowing it. This can result in gastrointestinal problems.
Misaligned teeth can affect the way you eat, resulting in gassing, cramping, bloating, and stomach ulcers (in severe cases).
Tooth Sensitivity
This tooth condition also causes tooth sensitivity. When some teeth have worn out more than others, it can result in the exposure of the dentin – the softer tissue under the enamel of the teeth.
How to Fix a Crooked Smile?
Why is my smile always crooked? If your smile is always crooked, there are several ways you can fix it. Listed below are some of the ways you can fix a crooked smile.
Dental Fixes
One of the best dental solutions to this problem is braces. You can straighten misaligned teeth with braces. You can contact your orthodontist to provide you with braces to straighten your crooked teeth. Braces are not a quick fix because you might have to wear them for up to one year or more to resolve the issue. Nevertheless, they provide impressive and permanent results.
If you do not want to put on braces, you can opt for clear aligners. If your teeth are too short or chipped, then you should consider lengthening them with veneers. However, before you can use veneers, your orthodontist would have to examine your teeth, as your gums and teeth need to be healthy before you can use them. Why is my smile crooked after braces? It would help if you used the proper braces to get the best results.
If you have a couple of chipped or crooked teeth, you can ask for a crown. These are covers that will sit on top of your teeth, making them look healthy and full. However, how you have to wait for solid food after getting a denture can be a tricky issue.
Facial Exercise
One facial exercise to fix this dental issue is saying “eeeeeee” and “oooooh.” When saying “eeeeeeee,” you should exaggerate your smile, and you should hold it for up to 20 seconds.
After 20 seconds, say “oooooh” for about 20 seconds again while your lips are tightened like you are whistling. Repeat the whole process about 10 times a day, as it would help to straighten the muscles around your smile.
Another quick facial exercise that can help is “fish face.” This exercise involves sucking in your cheeks until they meet inside your mouth. Hold it for about 15 seconds, and move your lips up and down while doing that.
Holding a pencil in your mouth is another facial exercise that can help fix a crooked smile. This exercise involves putting a pencil behind the canine teeth and then closing the mouth as tightly as possible with the pencil in place. With the pencil in place, turn to the left, right, down, and up.
Surgery
Why is my smile crooked all of a sudden? If you suddenly experience this issue, one of the most effective solutions is surgery. Your dentist will examine your case and determine if you need surgery or not.
Correcting a Slanted Smile without Braces or Surgery
Why is my smile crooked since I got dentures? If you do not want to use dental fixes such as surgery or braces to fix your crooked smile, you can rely on the facial exercise solution. You can correct your slanted smile with the facial exercises listed above.
Can You Get Veneer for Crooked Teeth?
Yes, you can. A veneer is one of the most effective solutions to this dental issue. You can consult your orthodontist to know if a veneer is suitable for your condition.
FAQ
Why is my smile lopsided?
A lopsided smile can be caused by several things, including crowded or crooked teeth, genetics, tissue trauma, injury, and more.
How do I fix my lopsided smile?
You can fix your lopsided smile with braces, clear aligners, surgery, and facial exercises.
What does a slanted smile mean – lopsided smile meaning?
A slanted smile means that the smile on one side is bigger than the other side.
Is a crooked smile attractive?
Crooked smiles are not attractive, which is why many people with this condition are looking for the best solution possible.
How much does it cost to fix a crooked smile?
Facial exercises are free of charge, as you can do them on your own. However, if you want dental fixes such as braces and surgery, you might spend between $2,500 and $8,000.
Can braces fix a lopsided smile?
Yes, braces can help fix a lopsided smile. Braces are a highly effective lopsided smile fix. However, they are not a quick fix.
Conclusion
Having a crooked smile can make you lose self-confidence, and it has ruined the lives of many. Fortunately, this dental problem has a solution, and you should contact your orthodontist to know the best solution for you.
