DEFINITION:

Malocclusion, also known as teeth misalignment, can be caused by different factors:

•Heredity.

•Premature loss of baby teeth.

•Trauma to the face.

•Bad habits (i.e. thumb sucking).

SYMPTOMS:

•Improper teeth alignment.

•Difficulty chewing.

•Stress to the teeth, jaws, or facial muscles.

•Speech defect.

•Good oral hygiene difficult to maintain, therefore increase risk of cavities or gum disease.

TREATMENTS:

•Orthodontics treatment.

•Invisalign.

•Dental surgery.

PREVENTION:

•Preventive treatments at younger ages (i.e. orthodontics).

•Avoid bad habits such as thumb sucking.

SOURCES:     Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (www.wikipedia.org).

                            WebMD, better information, better health (www.webmd.com).