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The History of Tooth Crowding

According to the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, researchers recently discovered a certain hunter-gatherer population near the eastern Anatolia region and found that the structure of jaw bones in human populations changes over time. Upon examination, these hunter-gatherers’ mouths revealed proper alignment between the lower jaw and teeth. Researchers then compared this to a transitional farmer population and noticed that they experienced an abnormal alignment shift  around 12,000 years ago.  What exactly caused this tooth crowding?

Hunter-Gatherers vs. Farmers – Researchers discovered that the key difference between the hunter-gatherers and the farmers was the diet. The farmers’ diet consisted of cooked foods where the need for chewing was less of a requirement. As a result, the jaw size reduced without a corresponding reduction in the dimensions of the teeth. Since there’s no adequate space in the jaw, the teeth started to crowd together causing malocclusion.

What is Malocclusion? – Malocclusion, or tooth crowding, is a condition that impacts one out of every five people and is often hereditary. Tooth crowding occurs when your teeth are not aligned properly, which results in overcrowding or an abnormal bite patterns. There are three different types of malocclusion:

  • Class 1 – This is the most common type of tooth crowding. The bite is normal, but the upper teeth slightly overlap the lower teeth.
  • Class 2 – This is commonly known as an overbite. The upper jaw and teeth severely overlap the bottom jaw and teeth.
  • Class 3 – This is commonly known as an underbite. The lower jaw juts forward causing the lower jaw and teeth to overlap the upper jaw and teeth.

The History of Tooth Crowding | Dr. Andy
Tooth Crowding Treatment Options –
If you’re suffering from tooth crowding, there are a few treatment options that your orthodontist may recommend:

  • Braces – The goal of this treatment is to correct the positioning of the teeth.
  • Removal of one or more teeth – This is a treatment option if the teeth are too overcrowded.
  • Orthognathic surgery – This technique is used to lengthen or shorten the jaw but is only needed in rare cases.

 

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