by J. Gean

Created on: February 14, 2010

What options are available for fixing crooked teeth?

Depending on the severity of misalignment and the number of teeth involved, there are several options available for correcting crooked teeth.

Composite

If there are only a few teeth involved, sometimes tooth-colored bonding (composite) is a good way to go.  Of course, this method does not actually move the teeth; it simply makes them appear straight cosmetically.  It involves minimal tooth preparation, which allows your natural tooth structure to be somewhat preserved. 

The doctor may need to shave the tooth slightly just to facilitate the adherence of the dental materials.  The remainder of the procedure typically involves a 2- or 3-step process.  First, an etchant (usually phosphoric acid) is applied to the tooth.  This creates microscopic finger-like projections into the tooth structure, giving the adhesive something to grab on to.  The second step is to apply the adhesive.  This is a crucial step as it allows the composite material to adhere to the tooth. These materials are typically cured with an ultraviolet light, which makes the procedure less time consuming.  Usually, the doctor and assistant will wear orange glasses or use an orange shield to protect their eyes from the ultraviolet light.  Many times, the doctor will save a step by using more modern products that combine the etching and bonding materials into one product.

Once the tooth has been properly prepared, the composite material is applied to the tooth or teeth.  Before being cured, composite material has a consistency similar to that of Play Dough.  This allows the dentist to sculpt the material and mold it to suit the needs of the particular situation.  In this case, the illusion of alignment is the desired result.

This typically involves several consecutive sessions of applying material, shaping it accordingly, and curing it with the light.  With good color matching and artistic shaping of the composite materials, the final result is that you have natural looking teeth that appear to be straight.  Only you and your dentist will know otherwise.

Porcelain

Another way to create the illusion of straight teeth is to accomplish the same effect as described above using porcelain laminate veneers.  This will require more tooth preparation at least two appointments. More tooth preparation means that more tooth structure needs to be removed in order to make

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