Most dental patients wear braces to straighten several teeth at the same time. Braces are ideal for this because they apply a gentle but constant force that moves all the teeth together. However, when you only have a single tooth that is crooked or out of alignment, which can sometimes happen with age, a little more creativity is required in order to fix the problem.

This problem also occurs when people who have had braces earlier in their lives failed to wear their retainer as much as they should. So how can a dentist straighten a single tooth?

Fortunately, there are numerous ways of doing this.

You Can Wear an Active Retainer

An active retainer is adjustable and utilizes a spring mechanism that a dentist can use to focus the force upon a single crooked tooth. This method takes about 4-6 weeks, providing that you wear the retainer day and night for that period.

Bear in mind too that you need to consider the future. Teeth tend to relapse if left to their own devices. Therefore, you need to ensure that the tooth doesn't shift back in a few months.

The simplest way of doing this might be to opt for a bonded retainer. This consists of a wire that is bonded to the back of your teeth and keeps those teeth from shifting.

Invisalign Express Is Ideal for Straightening a Single Tooth

The main difference between standard Invisalign and Invisalign Express is that Invisalign Express uses just 10 aligners or fewer over a period of approximately 5 months. Standard Invisalign treatment needs multiple batches of aligners with the treatment taking at least 12 months.

It would be wise for you to also wear a retainer after your Invisalign Express treatment is complete to make sure the tooth does not return to its former position.

The Tooth Can Be Reshaped With Bonding or Veneers

Crooked teeth can also be reshaped. This is the fastest option of the three. The main caveat is that some enamel will need to be removed from the tooth in question. This is to ensure that the tooth does not appear bulkier than the rest.

Composite bonding, which is cheaper, but more prone to staining and with a lifespan of 10 years if taken care of, can be done in an hour. Veneers on the other hand, while considerably more expensive, can last up to twenty years. However, it takes approximately 2 weeks to prepare a porcelain veneer.

Bear in mind that, before your dentist carries out any of these treatments, they first need to examine your mouth to ascertain the cause of the crookedness. Sometimes, teeth move due to bone erosion, and in this case, you might not qualify for the above options. Talk to a dentist at clinics like TLC Dental to learn more about what you can do to straighten your crooked tooth.