Crooked teeth are generally only a clinical problem when they affect the functionality of your bite. Perhaps your upper and lower jaws don't make proper contact when they're closed due to the misalignment of your teeth? Maybe some teeth have rotated in their sockets and are impossible to properly clean? These are examples of when orthodontic treatment will be needed. However, it can be that your bite is perfectly functional, and it's just that your smile is unbalanced due to your crooked teeth. Do you still need orthodontic treatment?

Esthetics

When you consider that your issue is due to the esthetics of your smile, and doesn't impede the actual performance of your bite, then you might conclude that the problem is only cosmetic (and you'd be correct). This means that you won't need orthodontic braces or clear aligners. These would undoubtedly be effective, but given the extent of your problem, these measures would be disproportionate. A cosmetic problem demands a cosmetic solution. 

Concealment

Dental veneers are intended to enhance the appearance of teeth by concealing the imperfection beneath. When the veneers (tooth-colored and tooth-shaped porcelain or acrylic shells) are applied to teeth, whatever blemish is present on the tooth's structure is permanently masked. But there are veneer services on offer to hide an abundance of imperfections, including teeth that are slightly crooked.

Using Veneers

Using veneers to improve the look of a crooked smile is fairly simple. You and your dentist will select the shade of your restorations. They should adhere to the current color of your teeth, unless you're planning to have your teeth whitened in the foreseeable future. The veneers will be shaped to replicate the shape of the tooth they'll be applied to. Next, your dentist removes a thin layer of dental enamel from the teeth to be treated, in order to accommodate the width of the veneer. An etching solution is then applied for greater adhesion before the veneers are bonded onto the surfaces of your teeth.

A Counterbalance

Once applied, your veneers create the look of an even, symmetrical smile. Yes, your teeth are still technically crooked, but the veneers have been configured to counterbalance this look, correcting spacing issues between your teeth. The results are noticeable and immediate. Instead of needing orthodontic treatment for up to three years, your issue has been corrected in just a couple of visits to your dentist. 

Remember that anything which affects the functionality and efficiency of your bite will still need traditional orthodontic treatment. But when your teeth are only mildly crooked—enough to bother you, without needing to be orthodontically realigned—then veneers may well be the best answer.