Bleeding gums. Worn-down teeth.Mouth breathing. Pain to chewing.

All of these can be caused by teeth that are not properly aligned. In fact, about three-quarters of adults in North America have some form of crooked or misaligned teeth. We are naturally built to have our teeth fit together and serve different functions.

While the back teeth are flat and are meant to crush our food, the front teeth are thin and sharp and meant to cut our food. The teeth work best when they are in their proper position which allows their function to be performed with minimal friction between the teeth. This is why our teeth can last many decades and often a lifetime.

When thinking about the function of the upper and lower jaw and how they relate to one another, the best analogy is that of a gift box with a lid. The lid has to be slightly bigger than the gift box and of the same shape in order for it to fit perfectly on top of it. Too big a lid and it doesn't fit properly against the top of the gift box. Too small a lid and it collides against the top sides of the box creating a lot of friction and not fitting properly either. Such is how the upper jaw- the lid- needs to fit against the lower jaw- the gift box. When they are the proper size for one another, we have great function. When the sizes are different, we have a less efficient chewing ability, with teeth colliding more often and thus wearing down prematurely. Premature wear and tear of teeth leads to discomfort to chewing, increased sensitivity of teeth and more dental work being necessary to repair the damage.

Misaligned jaws can also increase the difficulty in breathing as jaws affect the position of the back of the tongue against our airways, leading to more mouth breathing as well increased risk of snoring and other sleep disturbances. Lastly, teeth that are crowded are more difficult to keep clean with traditional brushing and flossing. This can lead to an increased risk of bleeding gums, recession, and loss of anchorage for the teeth in the jaws.

Having straight teeth will help reduce the risk of disease in your mouth as well as reduce the risk of any breathing-related issues. Talk to your dentist about how the alignment of your teeth can be improved through the use of 3D scans and 3D printing to provide you with the healthy and beautiful smile that you deserve.

William Shakespeare has said " A smile cures the wounding of a frown". Sometimes it can cure more than that!

Dr Yamen Ghamian & Dr Habib Khoury