Malocclusion Treatment, Types, and Causes

What is a malocclusion?

A malocclusion is an issue where your teeth don’t line up or fit together correctly.¹ Malocclusions cover a wide range of alignment issues. For example, your upper teeth may stick out past your lower ones, or your teeth may crowd together. Another example of a malocclusion is when there are large gaps between your teeth.

Regardless of what causes a malocclusion, if severe enough, it can have a serious impact on your life. Malocclusions can cause self-esteem issues² and have lasting effects on your physical health.

Does it matter if my teeth line up properly?

Malocclusions can affect your appearance and self-esteem. Left untreated, it can have a significant impact on your physical health. These issues may include speech problems, difficulty eating, changes in facial structure, jaw pain, and more.³ If left untreated, malocclusion can also lead to tooth loss, impacted teeth, jaw problems, and damage to adjacent and opposing teeth.³

Jaw pain

Certain alignment issues and crowding can cause jaw pain.⁴ This is due, at least in part, to misaligned teeth that can strain the muscles and joints of your mouth. In extreme cases, some malocclusions can lead to TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) disorders.⁴ With TMJ, your pain may spread from the mouth and face to your shoulders and neck. It can also cause jaw stiffness and make it more difficult to open or close your mouth.⁵

Oral hygiene

When your teeth are crowded and not lined up correctly, it creates places for plaque – causing bacteria to hide and makes it harder to properly clean your teeth. Over time, this can lead to cavities and potentially even gum disease.³

Injuries to your teeth & mouth

When children’s teeth don’t line up correctly, they are more susceptible to injury including chipped, cracked, and dislodged teeth.⁶ Malocclusions are a major risk factor for injury because they can expose teeth to a variety of vulnerable situations.⁷

Mouth breathing

Studies on children have shown that there is a relationship between mouth breathing and malocclusion.⁸

Difficulty chewing and speaking

Severely misaligned teeth can cause problems with how you speak and chew your food.¹ When your teeth are severely misaligned, they can't effectively break down food, leading to excess wear on some teeth. In some cases, alignment issues can cause pain while chewing, which will require treatment in order to resolve the issue.⁴

What causes malocclusions?

Malocclusions can be caused by a combination of factors. Some alignment issues are inherited from our parents. This includes crowded teeth, gaps, extra or missing teeth, and some problems with jaw growth.⁹ Other alignment issues are caused by behaviors, especially those we engaged in during early childhood. These behaviors include thumb sucking, pacifier use past the age of three, prolonged bottle usage, and tongue thrusting.¹⁰ These behaviors can lead to malocclusions like crossbite (where your upper teeth sit inside your lower teeth)¹¹ and overbite (where your upper teeth extend past your lower teeth, further than they should).¹²

Malocclusions can also be caused by other factors too, like injury and disease.

How do you treat malocclusion?

Fortunately, there are many options available to address alignment issues in your teeth and helping you to achieve the straight smile that you want. Your dentist or orthodontist can review your situation and work with you to find the treatment that works best for you.

Treatment options include:

Aligners and braces

Your orthodontist may recommend braces or aligners to treat your malocclusion. Both braces and aligners work by straightening your teeth over time by applying pressure. Aligners, like Invisalign^® aligners, achieve this through a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually move your teeth into position. Braces, on the other hand, rely on metal wires and brackets that are bonded to your teeth to correct alignment issues.

Palate expanders

A palate expander is an oral device that’s used to widen your jaw and treats various malocclusions such as crossbite and crowding.¹³ It gently pushes against your mouth to promote bone growth, create space, and help align your bite. It’s commonly prescribed to children with developing jaws, but teenagers and adults have used them too.¹⁴ When used in conjunction with braces or aligners, palate expanders can help speed up the length of treatment and reduce the overall time you spend wearing braces.¹⁵

Removing teeth

For some severe malocclusion cases, orthodontists may recommend tooth extraction as a last resort to address overcrowding.¹⁶

Jaw surgery

In some cases, your orthodontist may recommend surgery on your jaw to resolve inherited issues or to fix injuries that didn’t heal properly.¹

Treating malocclusions with Invisalign aligners

Invisalign treatment is the #1 orthodontist trusted brand of clear aligners for straightening teeth.¹⁷

Many patients get the smile they want faster with Invisalign treatment than with traditional braces. In fact, studies have found that Invisalign treatment for adults is completed nearly five months quicker than treatment with braces.¹⁸

Not only are Invisalign aligners faster than braces, they are also more comfortable.¹⁹ Unlike many other clear aligners, Invisalign aligners are trimmed to fit each patient’s gum line to provide optimal patient comfort and aesthetics.²⁰

Both traditional braces and Invisalign treatment will affect your lifestyle in different ways. With braces, the biggest adjustment is getting used to how they affect your smile while you are wearing them. You’ll also need to avoid certain foods that can compromise or damage the braces.²¹ This includes foods like hard candy, corn on the cob, whole apples, nuts, popcorn, pretzels, and bagels. With Invisalign aligners, they’re virtually invisible and there are no food restrictions because they’re removable.

When to address malocclusions

If you suspect you have a malocclusion that needs treatment, talk to your dentist or schedule a consultation with an orthodontist. They can review your situation, explain your options, and help you decide on a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Interested in exploring Invisalign treatment? Use the doctor locator tool to find an Invisalign-trained provider near you. Some doctors offer free consultations so be sure to ask if they offer one when you schedule your appointment.

If you’re wondering when to talk to an orthodontist or dentist about your child’s alignment issues, the American Association of Orthodontists suggests children get screened by an orthodontist by age seven. At this point, an orthodontist can find subtle issues in many patients that might require early treatment.²² Early intervention can help prevent problems from worsening and supports proper bone growth in the face and mouth.

Invisalign aligners treat children and provide Phase 1 treatment to children aged 6 to 10 years old. They can fix a broad range of teeth straightening issues such as crowding, spacing and narrow dental arches. To find a doctor in your area who offers Invisalign treatment for kids, use the doctor locator tool to find a pediatric dentist who is an Invisalign-trained provider near you.

See what your new smile could look like now

Interested in seeing what your smile might look like once your malocclusion is treated? Try Invisalign SmileView™ and get a simulation of what your smile could look like after Invisalign treatment.