How to Fix Overlapping Teeth

If you have overcrowded or misaligned teeth, you’ll probably be wondering how to fix overlapping teeth to achieve your best possible smile. And if you are, you’re in the right place. While some overlapping is normal, teeth that overlay each other ideally need orthodontic attention, as overlapping can result in oral health problems.

Whether you want to know how to fix overlapping teeth to improve the way you look or reduce the chances of any serious dental health issues, at SmartSmileCo we love helping our customers to straighten their smiles and skyrocket their self-confidence.

What Causes Overlapping Teeth?

From oral habits to genetics, there are lots of potential reasons your teeth overlap. If your malocclusion is classified as primary overlapping, your alignment issue is hereditary. It’s just in your genes, so you’ve got your folks to thank for that particular family trait. However, if it’s classified as secondary overlapping, oral habits have caused your teeth to overlap over time.

Some of the possible reasons why your teeth overlap:

Not enough space in your jawbone
Jaw misalignment due to an injury
Too many teeth
Ill-fitting fillings or crowns
Teeth are an abnormal shape
Palate issues or cleft lip
Mismatching upper and lower jaw, resulting in an underbite or overbite
Oral habits such as thumb sucking or prolonged bottle use
Mouth tumours or gingivitis, which impact the teeth’s structure
Wisdom teeth eruption

What Dental Health Issues Can Overlapping Teeth Cause?

Depending on the severity of your teeth misalignment issue, you could suffer some pretty significant problems. From difficulty biting and chewing to dealing with nasty dental infections, overlapping teeth can be more serious than just being a bit unsightly.

If your teeth overlap, you likely struggle to brush or floss your teeth properly. Often, the overlayed areas aren’t cleaned thoroughly enough, increasing the likelihood of developing decay. This inability to keep certain teeth sufficiently clean can also lead to gingivitis and even to periodontitis.

Along with unwanted decay and gum disease, severely overlapping teeth can result in eating issues, headaches, jaw pain and even cause the development of an overbite, underbite, crossbite or an open bite.

How to Fix Overlapping Teeth & the Treatments Available

Whether you’re looking into how to fix overlapping teeth to reduce your chance of any potential future health issues or purely to improve your appearance, fixing your misaligned teeth will totally transform your smile.

So, should you correct your overlapping teeth? Well, your decision will perhaps depend on:

The cost of the corrective treatment
How badly your teeth overlap
If you’ll also need to fix other dental problems associated with your overlapping teeth

If you only have a slight overlapping issue, you may well decide to investigate the ways you can care for your teeth to try to avoid future problems. Or you may still want to straighten them out so you can have that insta-worthy grin you’ve always wanted.

A moderate or severe overlapping issue is likely to be highly recommended for straightening treatment by a dentist or orthodontist.

Here are some of the most popular ways to fix overlapping teeth:

Braces

Your first thought when thinking about how to fix overlapping teeth may well be a traditional brace. Made up of archwire, ligature elastic, bonding material and ceramic or metal brackets, braces move your teeth through constant pressure. But they’re not a quick fix. You’ll need to wear your brace constantly for one to three years to straighten your teeth.

While a traditional brace might be most people’s initial thought, correcting your malocclusion with a brace can take its time and means you’ll need to be okay with a mouth full of metal for quite a while.

If having a permanently fixed brace just wouldn’t work for you, you might want to consider how to fix overlapping teeth without braces.

Veneers

While veneers won’t move your teeth, they can improve their appearance. Custom made to cover troublesome teeth, porcelain or composite veneers can be an option if you have a slight overlapping problem.

But be warned. Veneers can be pricy — particularly if made from porcelain.

Sculpting

Sometimes dental sculpting can be used to rectify a mild overlapping problem. During sculpting treatment, an orthodontist will drill or laser your problem teeth to create the space needed — a little like shaving a bit off your bedroom door so it closes more comfortably.

While the treatment provider will, of course, try to minimise any enamel damage, sculpting could cause weakened teeth.

Surgery

If you have acute overlapping and your orthodontist thinks other corrective options would be ineffective, they may suggest you have jaw reshaping surgery or tooth removal. Don’t panic, though — these procedures would only be recommended in extremely severe cases.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners are one of the preferred ways to fix overlapping teeth and all types of misalignment issues. There are loads of reasons to love clear aligners, including their convenience, comfort, discretion, and removability.

It’s easy to see why clear plastic aligners are hugely popular and preferred by people worldwide. No mouth full of metal, no expensive tooth cover, and no drill necessary. Just a virtually invisible, removable aligner that applies gentle pressure to your overlapping teeth to shift them into their ideal position.

If you’re looking into how to fix overlapping teeth at home, SmartSmileCo orthodontist-approved clear aligners will give you a spanking new smile you’ll love. Start today by getting an impression of your teeth using our impression kit.

Why Tackle Your Overlapping Teeth with SmartSmileCo?

Crystal clear aligners — virtually invisible and more transparent than other providers
We’ll review and plan your case in a speedy 3-4 days — other providers typically take weeks to create treatment plans
Qualified orthodontists plan and review every case
Stain-resistant, comfort-cut aligners
BPA, latex, phthalate, and mercury-free
Get a true 3D plan so you can clearly see how wearing our aligners will transform your smile
If your treatment plan includes a retainer, you’ll get these free of charge with SmartSmileCo — other providers can charge up to $200 for a set of retainers.

Are your misaligned teeth getting you down? Want to know more about how to fix overlapping teeth conveniently from home? Start today with a free online assessment, and get ready to flash your fantastic new smile.