What Causes Misaligned Midline Teeth?
Midline misalignment is a dental disorder in which one or both rows of teeth is asymmetrical from the center point. This disorder, which is both common and treatable, is also called a deviated midline or a dental midline shift. There are a few different causes of midline misalignment, including some habits and lifestyle choices or certain medical conditions, and the optimal treatment for the condition is determined, in large part, by the cause, as well as by the preferences, needs, and budget of the patient.
You’ve probably heard that dentists and orthodontists recommend training infants to wean off of thumbsucking or using a pacifier early on, and the primary reason for this recommendation is that these habits can cause midline misalignment and other orthodontic issues as the infant matures. The best way to control these types of orthodontic concerns is to regulate your child’s thumbsucking or pacifier use, following your pediatrician’s recommendations for behavior modification for your infant.
In some cases, dental midlines misalign because of missing teeth, also called hypodontia. When a secondary, or permanent, tooth is missing, which can happen because of injury, tooth decay, gum disease, or simply because of genetics, the remaining teeth shift to fill in the spot where the tooth should be, causing the midline of the teeth to slip off-center. Overly crowded teeth can also cause midline misalignment, along with other misalignments and overlaps in other areas of the dentition that arise because of lack of space for all the teeth. In some cases, people have misaligned jaws, which can cause malocclusion, a disorder that affects the way that the upper and lower arches of teeth fit together; underbites, overbites, and cross bites are a few types of malocclusion that can occur because of jaw misalignment, and each of these can cause misaligned midlines as well as other problems with tooth alignment and bite.
An orthodontist can discuss the best treatment options with you if you’re considering correcting your or your child’s misaligned midline teeth, though you should be aware that orthodontic treatment isn’t usually recommended for children until their secondary teeth have erupted. Some common treatment options include braces, invisible dental aligners like Invisalign, and veneers. Braces can be used to treat any type of dental alignment issue, including misaligned midline teeth, and are especially effective when the issue is caused by an issue with the bite. Invisible aligners are more effective with mild or minor midline misalignments and might not be appropriate for more significant alignment concerns.
Dental veneers, which mask all kinds of dental imperfections, are durable porcelain layers that are bonded to the fronts of teeth, modifying their appearance, shape, and size and creating a uniform, symmetrical smile. Different solutions will apply in different cases, depending on the severity and cause of the midline misalignment and the preferences of the patient, and each solution will come with its own benefits and limitations. The best way to find a solution for misaligned midline teeth is to consult with an orthodontist to learn more about treatment options that may work for you.