Midline Misalignment: Causes and Treatment Options

Can you recall Tom Cruise roaming around in braces in 2002? Well, he had to do it to treat
his midline misalignment, the same dental condition that this article is focusing on! When
one or both the dental arches are asymmetrical in the center points, you suffer from midline
misaligned teeth. It is also known as deviated midline or dental midline shift.

You don’t need to worry if you are one of the many adults having this common dental
disorder. The misaligned midline is perfectly treatable. And mostly, the treatment doesn’t
involve many complications. Let’s see why it happens and the treatment options for
misaligned midline teeth.

Causes of Midline Misalignment
Some medical conditions and lifestyle habits lead to midline misalignment. Check these
common causes of midline misaligned teeth and see if you relate to any of these.

Missing Teeth or Hypodontia
Missing teeth or hypodontia is when one or more of your adult teeth are missing. It can be
due to gum disease, tooth decay, injury, or you are born with this condition. Your remaining
teeth get shifted to fill the open spot, causing a dental midline shift.

Crowded Teeth
Midline teeth also get disturbed due to the crowding of teeth in your mouth. When your
teeth grow abnormally, they don’t follow the proper spacing between them. It happens
because of the lack of room in your mouth for all of them. As a result, you get a misaligned
midline.

Jaw Misalignment
You may have heard about crossbite, open bite, underbite. All these are different types of
jaw misalignments. They cause malocclusion of teeth, which doesn’t let them fit together
perfectly. Thus it is natural to cause midline teeth to shift as well.

Bad Childhood Habits
If the childhood habit of sucking the thumb or pacifier gets prolonged, it creates many
orthodontic issues. One of them is the misalignment of dental midlines. But this is one
factor you can control by regulating your growing baby's thumb or pacifier sucking.

Treatment Options for Midline Misalignment

An orthodontist knows the best way to treat your specific condition. However, this post can
give you a heads up on some of the popular treatment options your orthodontist may
suggest.

Braces
Braces can pretty much treat all types of dental misalignments. They are also effective for
treating misaligned midline teeth, especially if the reason is an abnormal bite. They can
resolve the issue at the skeletal level. Along with correcting the dental midlines, braces can
also cure other minor orthodontic issues that are coming between you and a healthy smile.

Invisalign
Here is a solution to your minor dental midline shift without visibly embarrassing and poking
metal brackets and wires. Invisalign aligners are practically invisible. Therefore it’s super
popular amongst adults and teens. And they are removable, so no food restrictions! But
only your orthodontist can tell whether Invisalign is appropriate for your misaligned midline
or not.

Veneers
Veneers cover all types of imperfections of your teeth, including misaligned midline teeth.
They are made of durable porcelain and look like your tooth only. Veneers are bonded to
your teeth in a way that it’s difficult to spot the difference between them and your original
teeth.

Conclusion
Whatever is the factor responsible for your misaligned dental midline, you can find a cure
for that in modern dentistry. So don’t have any second thoughts regarding approaching an
orthodontist at the earliest.

If you are searching for an orthodontist in Carmel Hamlet and Briarcliff Manor, NY, you have
come to the right place. We at Putnum Orthodontics offer all types of orthodontic
treatments, including the treatment for a misaligned midline. We take pride in treating our
patients in a safe and pleasant ambiance with utmost accuracy and efficiency.

Click Here to Book an Appointment Now!