What can cause my bottom teeth to become crooked?

Bad habit or: Throughout our entire lives our teeth will move. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. For many it is a natural occurrence. Other may have some habit that is moving teeth. Getting them fixed may require full braces or for minor situations perhaps limited treatment could be done.

Common: It is very common for lower front teeth to shift as one ages, even if orthodontics was previously performed. Due to all the forces that act on teeth, they tend to move forward. The lower front teeth are so skinny that they often "slip" a little. It is self-limiting, and can be corrected. To prevent recurrence, a wire is usually bonded to the tongue side of the lower front teeth.

Age: Crowding causes are multi-factorial. Genetics: evolutionary reduction in jaw size & increased outbreeding. Environmental factors (i.e., diet, mouth breathing, orofacial muscles, habits, thumb-sucking, etc.). Teeth tend to become more crowded with age - it's a normal process of aging.

Irregularities: Even if you think your teeth were perfectly aligned as a child, there are forces that cause teeth to move toward the midline and to erupt. With no place to go, bottom front teeth often destabilize. See an orthodontist asap. If it's early-on, the "fix" may be quite simple. The more your teeth crowd, the more sophisticated the solution requirements become.