Mercer Island Smiles

Lack of adequate space for the developing adult teeth is one of the most common orthodontic problems we see in youngsters. The reason? Tooth size and jaw size are inherited independently. So, to put it simply, it is possible to inherit large teeth and small jaws. In part this is due to evolution. As the human brain has increased in size, the face, including the upper and lower jaws, has decreased in size. (Just picture the difference between a gorilla and your favorite movie star!) But the number and size of the teeth have not decreased. This mismatch also explains why so many people have no space for wisdom teeth and have to have them removed.                                                                                

Early detection of dental crowding often affords the opportunity to expand the jaws and thus gain enough space to allow all the teeth to come in to place. If crowding is not dealt with until all the permanent teeth are erupted it is much more likely that some teeth will have to be removed since expansion is less effective at that time. This is one of the major reasons the American Association of Orthodontists recommends an initial orthodontic evaluation at age seven or eight.

So the bad news is that crowding of the teeth is a common occurrence. The good news is that, provided it is addressed in preadolescence, it can generally be resolved without resorting to removal of any teeth!