You may know that orthodontics deals with problems with your bite, but there are multiple different kinds of bite problems. Each is treated a little bit differently. What bite problem is causing your issues? Dr. Wayne Sankey of Flower Mound Orthodontics, an orthodontist in Flower Mound, TX, highlights the different types.
Deep Bite
A deep bite occurs when your upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth when your mouth is closed. You may have also heard of this called a closed bite or overbite. This is usually caused because the lower jaw is smaller due to genetics or underdeveloped. It can also happen if your jaw development was developed poorly as a child due to thumb sucking or pacifier use
A deep bite can change the shape of your face. It can look rounder, shorter, or older because of the way your jaw is placed. Depending on the case, a deep bite may impact the ability to chew, speak, or even breathe properly.
Open Bite
An open bite means that your upper and lower front teeth don’t come into contact when you’re biting down. You’ll have a gap or opening between the arches of your when your jaw is closed. An open bite is noticeable in the appearance of your smile, and patients with open bites often report problems with speaking or eating.
There are three different types of open bites. With an anterior open bite, there’s no overlapping with the opposing set of teeth when you bite down. An incomplete overbite is when there’s no overlapping between just the front teeth. A posterior open bite is when the back teeth don’t come into contact when you’re biting down. The impact on daily life is different depending on the type you have.
Underbite
With an underbite, your lower jaw protrudes out farther than your upper jaw. There are no external causes for an underbite, it’s all in genetics. Your upper jaw is underdeveloped compared to the lower jaw. Jaw deformities and crowded teeth can be monitored, as these are both warning signs of an underbite.
While this is usually seen as a cosmetic issue, an underbite can impact both the function and health of your smile. Underbites can also be made worse by certain poor oral health habits. Mouth breathing, poor chewing, and thumb sucking can all worsen your underbite.
Overbite
An overbite is the condition people are referring to when they talk about someone having buck teeth. This can occur due to genetics but is also something that can happen due to bad habits during a child’s formative years. It can also be known as a deep bite.
Your Orthodontist in Flower Mound, Texas
At Flower Mound Orthodontics, we provide treatment for every type of bite concern. Call us or schedule an appointment online for an evaluation.