Bite Issues that Orthodontics Corrects

Once all your permanent teeth have erupted, your priority is to keep it free from gum disease to attain a healthy, youthful smile that will last for a lifetime. But regardless of how careful you are with your teeth, malocclusions can still happen. Malocclusion is a condition where there is an incorrect relationship with the dental arches. Occlusion is when both opposing teeth meet.

In a healthy bite, the upper and lower part are in perfect alignment. If the alignment is off, it is called a malocclusion. This condition can cause a lot of oral health problems and it should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Types of Bite Patterns (Occlusions)

Crossbite

Crossbite occurs when one or more upper teeth are biting on the inside of the lower teeth. This condition can only occur on the front or sides of the mouth. We recommend having this issue corrected as soon as possible.

Crossbites can cause the following:

Asymmetrical jaw development

Less attractive smile

Bone loss

Gum disease

Premature wear of the teeth

Debilitated chewing patterns

Open Bite

This condition where the front upper and lower teeth have the upper and lower teeth slang upwards and it doesn’t meet when the mouth is shut. The success of this procedure will depend on how early the issue is caught and treated.

An open bite can cause the following:

A less attractive smile.

Premature wear of the molars.

Jaw joint dysfunction

Overbite

Overbite occurs when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. An extreme condition of overbite can cause the teeth to erupt asymmetrically. It can also be over the development of the bone that the teeth are supported.

An overbite can cause the following:

Lower part of the teeth biting into the gum tissue which could lead to periodontal disease.

Unusual wear of the lower part of the mouth.

Underbite

When the teeth bite the front of the upper teeth, this is called an underbite. This is usually caused by the undergrowth of the upper jaw, undergrowth of the lower jaw, or both. This condition can also be caused by the flared lower incisors, tipped back incisors, missing upper portion or a combination of each.

An underbite will need to be corrected as soon as possible due to the following reasons:

Your smile will be less attractive

It prevents the normal functions of your mouth

It can cause dysfunctions in the jaw

Impacted Teeth

An impacted tooth occurs when the tooth has been blocked off through the gum. This helps to remain partially or it can be covered by the gums and bones. This condition occurs because of the improper positioning of the developing bud or early loss of the primary teeth. Teeth crowding can also cause impacted teeth.

This problem needs to be corrected because:

It can leave unwanted spaces in the mouth.

Can cause damage to the adjacent tooth.

So, how can these be fixed? There are a variety of treatments like bridges, braces, dental crowns, etc. Orthodontics can correctly align it and make sure that your mouth is in perfect condition.

Below are examples of orthodontics treatment: