Protruded Teeth Treatment

Causes of Protruding Teeth

Protrusion is more common in children. In children under 6, it can result from constant thumb sucking or prolonged use of a pacifier. During the mixed (6 to 13 years) and permanent dentition periods, unnatural tilting of the teeth occurs for various reasons:

• Due to a lack of space in the dental arch, known as crowding, which is caused by:
• Macrodontia – some teeth grow larger than others;
• Underdeveloped jaws;
• Eruption of supernumerary teeth.
• Due to a lack of contact between the upper and lower jaws in childhood. The main reasons include:
• Breathing problems like adenoids, otitis, sinusitis, and other diseases forcing the child to breathe through the mouth;
• Macroglossia – an enlarged tongue beyond the normal size;
• Harmful habits such as prolonged use of a pacifier, thumb sucking, biting the tongue or lip, chewing on pens, pencils, or markers.
• Another cause is delayed loss of baby teeth, forcing permanent teeth to change their eruption vector.
• Improper tongue positioning in the mouth can also cause this defect, as it presses on the teeth, causing them to tilt.

In adults, protrusion often develops as a complication of periodontal disease – a condition affecting the tissues surrounding the tooth roots. In this case, the roots become exposed, and the teeth start to wobble. This defect can also result from insufficiently effective orthodontic treatment and not following the doctor's recommendations. If braces or aligners are removed prematurely, the teeth might return to their original position. Usually, after orthodontic correction, a retention period is required, where the patient must wear special retainers to maintain the result. Neglecting this, and not listening to the orthodontist, can lead to the recurrence of previous defects. Therefore, when correcting a bite, it is important to:

• Strictly follow the dentist's recommendations;
• Visit the doctor according to a predetermined schedule to monitor the treatment process;
• Not refuse to wear retainers – this is a crucial stage in bite correction. Ignoring it might mean your time and money were wasted.

Treatment Methods

Doctors address protrusion considering its causes, the severity of the problem, the patient’s age, and other individual characteristics. Treatment begins with diagnosis.

Diagnosis

Often, an examination is sufficient for diagnosis, as the characteristic signs are quite noticeable. However, treatment strategy can only be developed by understanding the patient's jaw system. The condition of the jaws, their position, and the placement of teeth and their roots must be evaluated. This requires imaging. Currently, dental diagnostics use:

• Radiography;
• Computed tomography. These are informative diagnostic methods.

Myogymnastics

This method is suitable for young children whose tooth replacement process is not yet complete. Often, it is enough to eliminate harmful habits and perform myogymnastic exercises aimed at strengthening the chewing and facial muscles. It is especially important to train the circular muscle of the mouth. When it is underdeveloped, the front teeth move forward as they do not encounter resistance from the outside. In early childhood, strengthening the chewing and facial muscles often allows for alignment and proper shaping of the dental arch.

Veneer Placement

Minor defects can be masked using crowns or veneers – thin ceramic plates placed on the front surfaces of the teeth. At AESTHETE Dental Clinic, doctors use Magicneers technology, which allows veneers to be placed without preliminary grinding. However, this method only masks aesthetic defects and does not eliminate the problem. It can be used if only one or two teeth are protruding. If protrusion affects a significant part of the dental arch, veneers will not help.

Orthodontic Correction

Older patients need to wear braces or aligners. Removable and non-removable orthodontic devices correct the bite, forcing the teeth to move and take the anatomically correct position. Children and teenagers are often prescribed braces. These are non-removable devices that apply the necessary pressure through an orthodontic arch. Brackets used to fix them to the teeth are made from various materials – metal, ceramics, synthetic sapphire. Doctors at AESTHETE Dental Clinic will help choose a solution based on the complexity of the problem and the patient's preferences. Adults are better suited for aligners – removable transparent plastic devices. They are less noticeable, which is particularly important for those who frequently interact with people, perform in public: show business personalities, politicians, lecturers, managers, and businessmen. Regardless of the orthodontic devices used, the treatment will be lengthy. But the result will be excellent. Remember, after removing braces or completing aligner treatment, retainers must be worn. The duration of the retention period will be specified by the doctor. Retainers are usually removable, but in some cases, a non-removable device – a metal arch fixed to the inner side of the teeth – is used. If the teeth are crowded, the doctor may perform separation – separating them. This involves grinding the enamel on the lateral surfaces to increase the gaps between the teeth. Comprehensive treatment yields good results. In this case, the orthodontist combines several methods to enhance the effect.

Surgical Methods

For severe crowding of teeth, separation is not enough; some teeth must be removed to create space, otherwise, the row cannot be straightened. After removal, braces are installed, or aligners are prescribed. In complex cases, more extensive surgical intervention is required.