While possible to correct with orthodontic procedures, conditions like overbite are often left unaddressed by those experiencing them. Protruding teeth can be a source of dental injury resulting from accidents and can have lasting impacts on your social and dental health. Thankfully dentists are able to address these concerns in most patients. Children with protruding teeth are the most at risk and should be seen by a dentist with the aim of correcting this condition.
Where Protruding Teeth Come From
Those living with severe protruding teeth can experience a range of complications, including difficulty speaking and eating properly. Even in less severe cases protruding teeth can be evident, resulting in an unsatisfactory appearance for the sufferer and potential social embarrassment. Those suffering from protruding teeth often have developed the condition as the result of a few common factors:
- Genetics – A family history of protruding teeth greatly increases the risk that you may experience the condition yourself. This is the only source of the condition that can’t be prevented through behavioral changes but must be addressed with orthodontic care.
- More or less teeth – Losing out baby teeth is part of everyone’s oral health experience, but losing our adult teeth can create a risk of misalignment. Having too many teeth can also push our other teeth out of alignment and result in conditions including overbite or protruding teeth.
- Finger Sucking – Most children go through a period of their lives where they suck their thumb or use a pacifier. While this is harmless enough for the first two years, by the third year, this habit needs to come to an end. Pressure applied by the thumb or pacifier to the front teeth can cause them to angle forward.
- Tongue Thrusting – Tongue ties and jaw misalignment have both been known to cause this condition. Poor swallowing habits, protruding teeth, and swollen tonsils are all common results of leaving this condition untreated.
Research Revealing The Link Between Oral Injury and Protruding Teeth
Dental Traumatology conducted a research project that included over 50,000 subjects, each of them being dental patients before their 19th year. The study explored the relationship between protruding teeth and dental injury in these patients and revealed that those under the age of six who had protruding teeth were at greater risk of injury. Protrusions of over 3mm resulted in a tripling of the risk over those with standard teeth, while those with protrusions of over 5mm saw this risk doubled again.
These numbers uphold the idea that addressing concerns involving protruding teeth is about more than vanity. It’s an important way to protect the teeth and overall oral health of your family. Want to know if you should retrieve dental treatment for your protruding teeth? Contact our offices for a consultation today!
