Orthodontic Disorders
Crossbite
Crossbites can occur in the front and/or the sides of the mouth: One or more upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth. This can occur with a single tooth or multiple teeth. The early correction of crossbites is usually recommended.
Crossbites should be corrected because they can:
- cause premature wear of the teeth
- cause gum disease including bone loss
- cause asymmetrical development of the jaws
- cause dysfunctional chewing patterns
- make your smile less attractive
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How can a crossbite be orthodontically corrected?
If there is a single tooth crossbite, the tooth can be moved with braces into the correct position. In some cases, a retainer can be utilized. With multiple teeth in crossbite, the arch usually needs to be expanded with braces or other intraoral appliances.
Openbite
Openbite is an insufficient vertical overlap of the teeth. It is caused by oral habits such as tongue thrust, digit sucking or when the jaws don't grow evenly. Timing of treatment is critical to the overall success of the therapy.
How can an openbite be orthodontically corrected?
Openbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws using braces, extrusion of the anterior teeth and in some cases surgical correction of the jaws. Also breaking oral habits, such as digit sucking, will facilitate the correction of an openbite.
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Overbite
Excessive Overbite
Excessive overbite occurs when the upper and lower front teeth overlap too much. Often you cannot see the lower incisors. Excessive overbite is due to a disproportionate amount of eruption of front teeth or over development of the bone that supports the teeth. Excessive overbite is also known as a deep bite.
Excessive overbite should be corrected because it can:
- cause improper functioning of your front teeth
- result in the lower front teeth biting into the gum tissue of the upper palate leading to tissue problems
- unusual wear of the upper and lower front teeth
- cause jaw or joint problems
- make your smile less attractive
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How can an overbite be orthodontically corrected?
Overbite can be corrected through intruding the front teeth and/or bringing the back teeth together, which will "open" the bite so the teeth are properly aligned and the deep bite is eliminated.
Overjet
Class II Overjet
Overjet is also known as protrusion. In this case, the lower teeth are too far behind the upper front teeth. This can be caused by an improper alignment of the molars (Class II Relationship), a skeletal imbalance of the upper and lower jaw; flared upper incisors, missing lower teeth or a combination of all the above. In addition, oral habits such as thumb sucking, finger sucking or tongue thrusting can exacerbate the condition.
Overjet should be corrected because it can:
- prevent proper functioning of the front teeth
- lead to premature wear
- make your smile less attractive
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How can overjet be orthodontically corrected?
Overjet can be corrected through growth modification using a functional appliance and/or elastics to reduce the skeletal imbalance.
Underbite
Class III Underbite
The lower teeth protrude past the front teeth. An underbite is usually caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or a combination of the two (Class III Relationship). Early correction of underbite is recommended and can often prevent jaw surgery in cases that would require surgery if treatment was delayed until later.
Underbite should be corrected because it can:
- prevent proper functioning of the front teeth or molars which can lead to premature wear of the teeth
- cause chewing or eating problems
- make your smile less attractive
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How can an underbite be orthodontically corrected?
Underbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws, extraction of teeth, or in some cases, surgical correction of the jaws.