How do I know if I need braces?
You may need braces or aligners if your teeth are crowded or overlapping, have noticeable gaps or stick out, or if your bite is off: upper teeth covering the lower ones too much, front teeth not meeting, or lower teeth sitting in front. Uneven wear, trouble biting and jaw discomfort can also be signs. At Creative Arts in Dubai, a specialist orthodontist examines your teeth, bite and jaws and tells you whether treatment is needed.
Who treats you here Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz Specialist Orthodontist · Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko Specialist Orthodontist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
What are the signs that you might need braces?
Orthodontic problems fall into two groups: how the teeth are lined up, and how the upper and lower teeth meet. People usually notice the first and miss the second.
Alignment signs
- Teeth that overlap, twist or sit in front of or behind their neighbours. See our page on crooked and crowded teeth.
- Gaps between teeth, including a gap between the upper front teeth, covered under gaps between teeth.
- Upper front teeth that stick out or are easily hit, explained on protruding teeth.
Bite signs
- Upper front teeth that cover most of the lower teeth when you bite, or lower front teeth that bite into the gum behind the upper teeth.
- Front teeth that do not touch when the back teeth are together.
- Lower front teeth that sit in front of the upper ones, or meet them edge to edge.
- Some upper back teeth sitting inside the lower ones, or the jaw sliding to one side as you close.
Function signs
- Difficulty biting into food with the front teeth.
- Teeth chipping or wearing flat in an uneven pattern.
- Food packing into the same spots between crowded teeth.
- Clicking or aching in the jaw joints, which needs its own check; see jaw clicking.
Normal variation or worth an orthodontic assessment?
Perfectly straight teeth are rare, and many small irregularities never need treatment. This table separates common variation from findings that are worth having checked.
| What you notice | Often just normal variation | Worth an assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Lower front teeth | Very slight overlap that has not changed for years | Crowding that is getting worse, or hard to clean between |
| Gap between upper front teeth | A small gap in a child whose adult canines have not come through | A gap in an adult, or one that is widening |
| Front teeth overlap | Upper teeth covering the lower ones by a few millimetres | Lower teeth hidden completely, or biting into the palate |
| Front teeth do not meet | No such variation; teeth normally touch at the front | Any gap between front teeth when the back teeth are closed |
| Lower teeth in front of upper teeth | No such variation in a settled bite | Always worth checking, ideally while still growing |
| Jaw shifts when closing | No such variation | Worth checking, especially in children |
| Tooth wear | Even, gradual wear with age | Chips or flat spots on a few teeth only |
Children change quickly. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic check-up no later than age 7, when a mix of baby and adult teeth lets developing problems be spotted.
Which changes should be checked sooner rather than later?
Most orthodontic questions can wait for a routine appointment. A few findings are better seen promptly:
- In children: the lower front teeth sitting in front of the upper ones, the jaw shifting sideways to close, or upper front teeth that stick out far enough to be at risk in a fall. These are easier to manage while a child is growing.
- In adults: teeth that have started to spread, tip or develop new gaps. Moving teeth in an adult can be a sign of gum disease rather than an orthodontic problem, and gums are assessed and treated first; see gum treatment.
- At any age: a bite that changed suddenly, a tooth that feels loose, or jaw pain with difficulty opening. These need a dental examination before any orthodontic decision.
Is it only about looks?
For many people the main reason to straighten teeth is appearance, and that is a legitimate reason. There can also be practical ones. Crowded teeth are harder to clean, so plaque collects in the same places. Protruding upper front teeth are more exposed to knocks. A bite where only a few teeth take the load can chip or wear those teeth faster, and a jaw that shifts to one side to close can be uncomfortable over time.
The link between a crooked bite and jaw joint pain is less straightforward than often claimed. Many people with uneven bites have no jaw symptoms, and jaw pain often has other causes such as clenching or muscle strain. That is why jaw symptoms are assessed in their own right, with a TMJ assessment where needed, rather than assumed to need braces.
Can slightly crooked teeth be left alone?
Yes, often. If your teeth are healthy, easy to clean, your bite is comfortable and the appearance does not bother you, there may be no reason to treat them. An honest assessment can end with the advice to leave things as they are and keep an eye on them.
If one or two front teeth bother you and the bite is otherwise good, a limited course of treatment may be enough; our guide to braces for the front teeth only explains when that works. If the irregularity has come back after earlier braces, a short course followed by long-term retainers is usually the plan.
Veneers or bonding are sometimes suggested to make crooked teeth look straight. They change the visible shape of the teeth, not their position, and often require removing more tooth when the teeth are out of line. Aligning teeth first usually means less needs to be done afterwards, if anything.
Not sure whether you need treatment? An orthodontic consultation with our specialist orthodontists checks your teeth, bite and jaws and ends with a clear answer, including when the answer is no treatment.
Book an orthodontic consultationWhat can you check yourself in a mirror?
A home check cannot diagnose anything, but it helps you describe what you have noticed:
- Smile in the mirror. Do the upper front teeth line up with the centre of your face? Are any teeth noticeably in front of or behind the others?
- Bite on your back teeth and look at the front. Can you see the lower front teeth? Are the edges touching, overlapping a little, completely hidden, or is there a gap?
- Look from the side. Do the upper front teeth stick out well past the lower ones?
- Close slowly. Does your jaw slide sideways or forwards just before the teeth meet?
- Floss. Are there spots where floss shreds or food always packs?
Photos taken from the front and side with the teeth together are useful to bring to the appointment, especially if something has changed over time.
What does an orthodontic assessment decide?
At Creative Arts, the assessment is carried out by our specialist orthodontists, Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz and Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko. It covers the teeth, the bite in all three directions, the jaws, the gums and the jaw joints, with photographs, an intraoral 3D scan and X-rays where indicated. The outcome can be:
- No treatment needed, with advice on what to watch for.
- Monitoring, common for children whose teeth are still changing; our guide to the best age for braces explains timing.
- Clear aligners or fixed braces, chosen by what the teeth need to do; the Invisalign vs braces guide compares them.
- Orthodontics combined with other care, such as gum treatment first, restorative work afterwards or, for some significant jaw differences in adults, surgery.
Adults are assessed in exactly the same way. Teeth can be moved at any age as long as gums and bone are healthy; our adult orthodontics page explains what is different.