Ever given a second thought to your bite? Yes, you heard it right. Having the right bite is a thing. If you often bruise your tongue, lips and inside of your cheeks without meaning to do so, you may have a bad bite. A bad bite is caused due to the misalignment of your teeth or malocclusion as per dentistry. If your upper and lower teeth fit well together and do not cause any discomfort, then you most likely have a good bite (occlusion). Only a licensed dentist or orthodontist can evaluate the health of your bite. Here are 5 common bite alignment problems that you need to be aware of.

Crossbite and its causes

If your tooth is closer to the tongue or cheek than the opposing arch’s corresponding upper or lower tooth, you might have a crossbite. This condition, which can affect a set of teeth or a tooth, is caused by either the misalignment of teeth or bone. There are many consequences to this condition, such as teeth grinding, teeth loss, chipping and irregular wear to the enamel. In this case, the patients may even suffer from headaches and muscle tension due to the stress given on the jaw due to a bad bite. This is even more severe on children who may have to deal with face and jaw development issues. 

There are two types of crossbites: posterior crossbite and anterior crossbite. Posterior crossbite is when the back teeth on the upper arch fit inside/bite down the back teeth of the bottom arch, creating an uncomfortable experience. Anterior crossbite can happen due to a variety of factors. It is an abnormal labio-lingual (relating to lips and tongue) connection between one or more upper or lower incisors. 

Understanding underbite

An underbite is a dental condition in which the lower set of teeth extend outward farther than the upper front teeth, providing you with a bulldog-like appearance. It is also known as class III malocclusion or prognathism. Like most dental issues, an underbite is often hereditary as genetics influence the shape and size of a person’s jaw than habits.

The potential open bite

If your front and back teeth slant outward and do not meet when your mouth is closed, you may have an open bite condition. This type of malocclusion occurs because of the misalignment of the teeth when the jaws are closed. Open bites can cause not only abnormal bite patterns and teeth overcrowding, but also discomfort when biting or chewing and mouth breathing. It can develop in the anterior (front) or the posterior (back) of the mouth. This condition can cause uneasiness while swallowing and even speech problems.

Crowding and Spacing 

Crowding of teeth happens when there’s not enough space for all the teeth to fit properly within the arches. This could result in crooked, displaced or rotated teeth. Crowding happens when the teeth are larger than the space available. Teeth crowding can cause cavities in between teeth and gum disease. 

As opposed to crowding, teeth spacing is a condition in which the anterior/posterior teeth are separated by large gaps/spaces. This condition can be caused due to thumb sucking in childhood, missing teeth, teeth shifting, oversized dental arches etc. 

Teeth protrusion 

“Buck teeth” is another common reference to address protruded teeth. Tooth protrusion happens when your anterior teeth stick out much farther than the posterior teeth, creating an overlap between upper lower teeth. It may make it hard to close your mouth properly and even cause accidental chipping of teeth. 

No matter the issue you are facing with your bite, always seek expert diagnosis and treatment options from a licensed and experienced doctor.  At OrthoFX, our network of treatment experts offer a complimentary consultation either in person or virtual appointment.  Information and education will be your best advantage to making an effective and safe decision in your smile journey. 

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_trauma

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malocclusion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_bite_malocclusion

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003047.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3793567/