Everyone’s smile is different! The most effective treatment method for one patient’s orthodontic condition may not be the most effective method for another patient’s condition. Various factors, like age, bone development, and the severity of the condition, will be considered when we create your personalized treatment plan.
While braces are an effective treatment method for some patients with a snaggletooth, a palatal expander or tooth extraction may be the right method for other patients.
Here’s what you need to know about braces with a snaggletooth?
What does it mean to have a snaggletooth?
A snaggletooth is a tooth that erupts out-of-alignment in the wrong place, relative to the other teeth. A common example is the cuspid tooth, or upper canine tooth, as it’s the last tooth to erupt from the gums in the upper dental arch. When the top jaw, or palate, is too narrow to accommodate all of the teeth, or the already-erupted teeth are already very crowded, the cuspid tooth doesn’t have a sufficient amount of room to grow without obstruction.
When something blocks a cuspid’s path (i.e. other teeth get in the way, there is not enough space or too much bone) the cuspid tooth to become impacted by the jaw bone or by other teeth. The tooth only has two options from here; it will either stay blocked and not emerge at all, or it will emerge over the surrounding teeth—known as a snaggletooth.
Can I get braces with a snaggletooth?
The answer to this question will vary by case. Everyone’s smile is different, so each person’s best-suited treatment option is likely to differ. Many patients’ snaggletooth condition can be treated with a form of braces or Invisalign®.
Depending on how progressed the patient’s condition is and how developed their jaw bones are, braces, Invisalign, tooth extraction, or a palatal expander may be the most effective treatment option.
When you visit us for your complimentary consultation, one of our amazing orthodontists will thoroughly examine your condition to help you make the best decision for your smile.
The ideal method for treating a snaggletooth is through early treatment. The AAO recommends that children receive their first orthodontic screening around the age of 7, when the teeth and jaw bones are still growing. Our orthodontists are highly-trained in detecting orthodontic conditions before they progress to pose a greater problem.
If we determine there is an insufficient amount of room in the upper jaw for the cuspids (or any other teeth) to emerge in a healthy alignment during your child’s early orthodontic screening, we may suggest treatment with a palatal expander or braces.
Palatal expanders and braces are effective treatments for widening the upper jaw and creating the necessary space for teeth to grow without obstruction that causes crowding, overlapping—and snaggletooth.
Still have questions about braces with a snaggletooth?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or schedule your complimentary consultation.
We will be able to answer all of your questions once we complete your orthodontic exam at one of our convenient locations in East Spartanburg, West Spartanburg, Duncan, Gaffney, or Union!
Depending on the location of you or your child’s snaggletooth, how developed the jaw bones are, and the position of the surrounding teeth, our orthodontists will work with you to create a custom treatment plan that shifts your teeth into alignment to create your new, beautiful smile.
