Orthodontic assessment with 3D scan
We scan both arches, measure how much space is short and where it can be created, check gum and bone health, and show you a simulated end result before you decide anything.
About this treatmentDental condition · Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Crowded teeth: why they overlap and what straightening involves
Crowding is what happens when the teeth are collectively wider than the arch they need to fit into. Something has to give, so teeth rotate, tilt, slide behind one another or get pushed out of line. Lower front teeth show it first and worst, because they are the narrowest and the arch there is tightest. Beyond how it looks, crowding has a practical cost: overlapping teeth are hard to floss, plaque collects in the tucked-away corners, and gum inflammation and decay follow. It also tends to increase with age rather than stay still. At Wimpole Street we assess how much space is needed and where it can come from, and for most adults the answer involves clear aligners rather than visible braces.
Recognising it
How it usually feels
Lower front teeth overlapping or one pushed behind the row
The classic early sign, often first noticed in photographs.
Upper front teeth rotated or one canine sitting high
Canines are the last front teeth to erupt and are often squeezed out.
Floss that will not pass between certain teeth
Tight, overlapping contacts block cleaning.
Bleeding or puffy gum in the crowded area
Plaque that cannot be removed inflames the gum.
Teeth that seem to have moved since your twenties
Forward drift continues throughout adult life.
Uneven wear on the edges of the front teeth
Displaced teeth take contacts they were not designed for.
Behind the symptoms
What's going on
- 01
Teeth too large for the jaw
Tooth size and jaw size are inherited separately, so it is possible to have your father’s broad teeth in your mother’s narrow arch. The mismatch is the single biggest factor and cannot be changed, only accommodated.
- 02
Losing baby teeth too early
Primary molars hold space for the adult teeth beneath them. If one is lost early to decay or an accident, the neighbours drift into the gap and the incoming adult tooth has to squeeze in wherever it can.
- 03
Lifelong forward drift
Teeth migrate slowly forwards and inwards throughout adulthood as the bone remodels and the lips and cheeks press inwards. The lower incisors bear the brunt, which is why people who had straight teeth at twenty often notice overlap by forty.
- 04
Relapse after previous braces
Straightened teeth have a strong memory. Without a retainer worn for life, the lower front teeth in particular creep back towards crowding, sometimes within a few years of treatment finishing.
- 05
Late-erupting or missing teeth
A tooth that comes through late finds the space already taken. Conversely a congenitally missing tooth can leave one arch shorter than the other, causing the remaining teeth to be pushed into crowded compensations.
- 06
Wisdom teeth, probably less than you think
The evidence that wisdom teeth push the front teeth into crowding is weak; people without them crowd just as much. Removing wisdom teeth to prevent crowding is not recommended, though they may still need removing for their own reasons.
Before your appointment
What you can do today
- Use interdental brushes or floss threaders daily in the crowded areas, angling from both sides of overlapping teeth to reach the hidden surfaces.
- A small-headed or single-tuft toothbrush reaches behind displaced teeth far better than a standard head.
- Attend hygiene visits regularly, since crowded regions accumulate tartar faster than well-aligned ones.
- If you have a retainer from earlier treatment, try it; if it still fits, wearing it nightly can stop further movement.
- Photograph your teeth front-on in good light once a year to track whether the crowding is progressing.
These are holding measures, not a substitute for an examination. Use any pain relief exactly as directed on the pack and check with a pharmacist if you take other medicines.
In the chair
How we treat it at Wimpole Street
Clear aligners
A series of removable trays moves the teeth gradually into line. Suitable for the great majority of adult crowding, typically over eight to eighteen months, and almost invisible in daily life.
About this treatmentCreating space without extractions
Slimming the sides of some teeth by a fraction of a millimetre (interproximal reduction), gently widening the arch or tipping front teeth slightly forwards provides the room needed in most mild and moderate cases.
About this treatmentFixed braces for severe crowding
Where teeth are heavily rotated or impacted, or where extractions are part of the plan, ceramic or metal brackets give the control needed.
About this treatmentRetainers for life
A bonded wire behind the front teeth, a removable night-time retainer, or both, hold the result. Crowding relapses without them.
About this treatmentFinishing touches
Once aligned, edges can be evened with contouring or bonding, and whitening completes the change many patients are after.
About this treatmentFees
Costs to expect
An orthodontic consultation at Wimpole Street, with the digital scan and simulation, is expected to be around £95 and is credited against treatment if you go ahead. Clear aligner treatment is indicative from £2,950 for a full course, with mild crowding confined to the front teeth priced towards the lower end.
Fixed braces are quoted individually after assessment. Retainers are included at the end of treatment, and any bonding or contouring to finish is from £395 per tooth if you choose it. A written plan sets out the total before you commit, and interest-free instalment options are available.
Figures are indicative prices for Wimpole Street and are confirmed in a written plan once a dentist has examined you. Fees match our South Kensington and St Paul's clinics.
Don't wait if
When to see a dentist
- Your front teeth have visibly shifted or overlapped over the past few years.
- Gums bleed or feel sore in the crowded area despite careful brushing.
- You cannot pass floss between certain teeth.
- A retainer from previous treatment no longer fits.
- Edges of the front teeth are chipping or wearing unevenly.
- You are considering straightening and want to know what is realistic.
FAQ
Common questions
There is no upper age limit. Teeth move through healthy bone at any age, and a growing proportion of our orthodontic patients are in their forties, fifties and beyond. What matters is that the gums are healthy and stable before treatment starts.
For most adult crowding, no. Small amounts of enamel reshaping between the teeth, slight expansion of the arch and modest forward movement usually create enough space. Extractions are reserved for severe crowding, and we would discuss that possibility openly at assessment.
Because retention stopped. Teeth continue to drift for life, and the only thing that prevents it is a retainer worn regularly. Re-treating relapsed crowding with aligners is common and usually quicker than the original treatment, followed this time by a retainer for good.
Mild crowding of the front six teeth is often resolved in six to nine months. Moderate crowding across the arch typically takes twelve to eighteen months. The simulation from your scan gives an estimate specific to you, and progress is reviewed every six to eight weeks.
Not directly, but it makes plaque removal harder, and plaque left behind causes inflammation. Straightening teeth so they can be cleaned properly is one of the health arguments for treatment, particularly if you have already had gum problems.
Marylebone, W1
Wimpole Street opens 1 October 2026
Leave your details and we will be in touch when the Marylebone diary opens. If the problem cannot wait, the same clinicians are already seeing patients in South Kensington and at St Paul's.
Related conditions
Opening 1 October 2026
Wimpole Street is not yet seeing patients. Until then, please book or call our South Kensington clinic on 020 7183 2362 or our St Paul's clinic on 020 7183 3709. Questions about the new clinic: wimpolestreet@md.co.uk.
Until we open
Need an appointment before 1 October 2026?
The same clinical team already works from two other Medical & Dental clinics. Book at either one now and, if you prefer, move your ongoing care to Wimpole Street once the doors open.
South Kensington
- 20 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3DL
- Open seven days a week
- 020 7183 2362
St Paul's, City of London
- 5 Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7AQ
- Open Monday to Friday
- 020 7183 3709
