crowding

Teeth Problems are a Result of our Jaws Changing

by

An interesting article titled “Why We Have So Many Problems with Our Teeth” appeared in Scientific America written by By Peter S. Ungar (paleontologist and dental anthropologist) on April 1, 2020 (322, 4, 44-49). The article discusses how human jaws today are very different than that of our ancestors. In fact today our jaws can be consider underdeveloped due to less chewing that occurs and has kept our teeth from fitting properly into our mouths. The author states ” Nine in 10 people have teeth that are at least slightly misaligned, or maloccluded, and three quarters of us have wisdom teeth that do not have enough room to emerge properly. Simply put, our teeth do not fit in our jaws.” The author says that teeth no longer fit into jaws because human diets have changed over the years to use softer more processed foods … Read more

Could a Medication One Day Be Given Instead of Braces to Control Tooth Movement?

by

Recent research from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) showed that osteocytes have a crucial role in orthodontic tooth movement as the major source of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) which is a protein critical to bone remodeling. It is  known that the differentiation of osteoclasts is regulated by RANKL. However, the source of RANKL in the periodontal tissue during orthodontic tooth movement was not previously identified. Now thanks to the research team it is know that osteocytes mainly express RANKL and play a key role in the remodeling of  bone surrounding teeth during orthodontic tooth movement. To explore this issue, the researchers used an orthodontic tooth movement model in which open coil springs were inserted between teeth of mice to move first molars. They then injected a neutralizing antibody against RANKL intended to reduce tooth movement. The … Read more

The Correlation of Mandibular Incisor Crowding and Third Molars in Brazilians

by

An article written by Lilian-Harumi Karasawa and 4 others titled ” Cross-sectional study of correlation between mandibular incisor crowding and third molars in young Brazilians,” appears in Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal (currently in press the version I have looked at but was accepted in November 2012). The article sets out to examine the correlation between lower incisor crowding and the mandible third molar (lower wisdom tooth).  The ability of a lower wisdom tooth to have lower incisor crowding has been debated and looked at by many researchers over the years. See for example Review of the Wisdom Behind Third Molar Extractions. The possibility that a lower wisdom tooth can cause crowding is often given as a justification for removing a lower wisdom tooth to prevent abnormal orthodontic conditions. In this study the researchers took 300 healthy Brazilian young … Read more

How Jaws Shrink With Age and Does This Affect Wisdom Teeth Crowding?

by

A recent article titled “A 40 years follow-up of dental arch dimensions and incisor irregularity in adults.” by Nokolasos, Tsiopas, Maria Nilner, Lars Bondemark, and Krister Bjerklin, appearing the The European Journal of Orthodontics Advance Access published October 19, 2011, explores how the jaw is affected over a 40 year time period. The study started in 1949 with 22 males and 13 females (35 total) and after 40 years in 1989, 18 of these participants were still able to participate. Three dental stone study casts were made for the 18 participants who completed the 40 years of the study. The authors state: “The present study showed that the occlusion, overbite, and overjet was stable, but dentoalveolar changes occur in the adult dentition. In the anterior part of the dentition, decreases in arch length and width lead to anterior crowding. There was also an … Read more

Do Wisdom Teeth Cause Crowding?

by

For some reason which is not clear to me, people still often ask the question: do wisdom teeth cause crowding of anterior teeth? The answer to this question is a plain and simple no. Thomas B. Dodson, DMD, MPH says “extracting third molars to prevent or alleviate crowding of the dentition is not usually justified.” Jay Friedman, a retired dentist, says “It is not possible for lower third molars, which develop in the spongy interior cancellous tissue of bone with no firm support, to push 14 other teeth with roots implanted vertically like the pegs of a picket fence so that the incisors in the middle twist and overlap.” Dr. Jeff , a dentist, says “Wisdom teeth will not cause lower anterior crowding, ask any competent orthodontist, or just think about it from a logical standpoint. Realistically can a tooth … Read more