Esthetics are important when it comes to orthodontic treatment. It is quite common that the primary reason patients schedule an orthodontic consultation when they have issues related to teeth crowding. There are a number of reasons as to why you need to get your crowded teeth fixed, such as

Gum disease
Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is an inflammation of the gums that can often lead to infection. It can go on to damage and destroy your jaw bone and gum tissue if allowed to progress. In severe cases, it can also cause you to lose your teeth. Crowded teeth are more difficult to clean hence tooth crowding can make you more vulnerable to gum disease. It leads to the formation of deeper areas where food particles or plaque tend to get trapped and bacteria accumulate. Gum disease is usually caused by bacteria. When plaque is allowed to spread and grow beneath the gum line, the bone and tissues that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed.

Abnormal tooth wear
A number of malocclusions or bad bite can cause the enamel on your teeth to wear prematurely and abnormally. Crowded teeth often don’t line up properly with the teeth on the opposite jaw. Due to this, those areas of the teeth touch when they shouldn’t. This causes unnatural wear patterns and applies undue stress to the teeth while biting, leading to cracked or fractured teeth in some cases.

Increased risk of dental trauma
One or more teeth can protrude out of normal alignment due to crowding. This can leave you more susceptible to trauma if you happen to take a blow to your face in case of an accident or while playing some sport. Similarly, crowding can strain the teeth, muscles, and jaws. Crowded teeth don’t align properly and don’t achieve proper force distribution while chewing or biting. This can result in occasional breaking or cracking of teeth.

Problems related to speech
Teeth crowding can sometimes hinder the movement of the tongue within the mouth. The tongue needs to move freely in order to regulate the speed at which you speak and form words. It can get difficult to pronounce certain sounds correctly without the freedom to make a natural movement. We tend to find adaptations when pronouncing sounds that we have difficulty with which leads to poor speech that requires speech therapy to correct.

Bad breath
Bad breath is caused as a result of oral bacteria left onto your teeth and gums after you eat. In the case of crowded teeth, additional nooks and crannies get formed where bits of food can get caught. This facilitates bad breath rapidly, and this can often make you feel conscious and result in lower self-esteem.

A person’s smile is often among the very first things we notice. Having a smile, you’re proud of and you can flaunt without having to think twice is important. Hence, taking preventive measures as soon as possible and not letting crowded teeth impact your life in a negative way is of utmost importance, especially when it can easily be addressed.