All our bodies are different. Some of us are tall, others short. Some have white skin, others black. It’s all just random variation, inherited from our parents.
That same variation can affect our teeth too.
If you take a sample of one hundred people and inspect all of their teeth, you’ll find something interesting. Not all of them have a perfect bite where the row of teeth fixed to the top jaw sits neatly over the row of teeth on the bottom jaw. Sometimes there’s overlap.
Dentists have come up with names for the different types of bite that people can develop as they grow. Abnormal bites can affect both the way that you look and your health.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common forms of “malocclusions” as dentists call then, and what you can do to correct the problem.
Deep Bite
In cases of deep bite, the front teeth of the upper jaw come down so far over the front teeth of the bottom jaw that they conceal them entirely. Thus, when you smile, you can’t see the bottom row of teeth.
A deep bite can cause a host of medical and cosmetic problems. Sometimes, the teeth of the bottom jaw can jab into the roof of the mouth while chewing, creating swelling. It can also make the chin and jaw area look too short, adjusting the proportions of the face.
Underbite
An underbite is one of the more common bite-related issues that dentists encounter.
Underbite occurs when the bottom jaw moves forward relative to the top, causing the bottom teeth to sit in front of the top teeth when the mouth is closed.
Often the structure of the jaw muscles themselves causes underbite. For some people, the chin can move forwards relative to the rest of the face during childhood, resulting in protrusions of the chin and neck.
Underbite gives people a “bulldog” appearance and can lead to additional wear and tear on the teeth and stress on the joints.
Open Bite
Open bite occurs when the back teeth are arranged in such a way that when a person closes their mouth, a gap remains between their upper and lower front teeth.
This condition usually results from excessive thumb sucking in childhood, adjusting the shape of the mouth. It can also lead to swallowing problems and difficulties with speech.
Crowding
Crowding isn’t necessarily a bite issue, but it can lead to similar problems. It occurs when there isn’t enough space in the jaw to accommodate all of the teeth that want to come through. Eventually, some of the teeth are forced either outwards or inward, taking them out of alignment.
Cosmetically, crowding affects your smile, but it can also have health consequences too. For instance, people with crowded teeth may find it more difficult to clean plaque between their teeth, leading to cavities and bad breath.
Protrusion
Protrusion is where the bite is normal, other than for the fact that some of the teeth protrude from the jaw further than they should. Often this condition results from the lower jaw being too far back or the front jaw too far forward, forcing the teeth to grow at an angle.
Teeth that stick out can give you a “buck-tooth” look and lead to a host of other issues. Teeth that protrude, for instance, are more prone to breaking. They can also lead to dry lips and mouth, as well as oral health issues.
Solutions
Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with bite issues affecting your look and wrecking your confidence. A cosmetic dentist can resolve even the most intractable of problems.
Take the story of the beautician with underbite so severe; she was bullied at school. All her life, Mia Duckworth had underbite, which made her lower jaw stick out further than she wanted. But following a four-hour operation, she now has an entirely natural smile, totally transforming the way that she looked and feels. While it required both dental work and surgery, the medical treatment was a total success.
Problems with bite can affect people’s willingness to smile, but the truth is that there are a host of powerful interventions available today that can correct practically problem. Some of these solutions are orthodontic, meaning that you might need to wear a brace for a while. Others involve literally shifting the position of the jaw. Most are a combination of both.
If you are conscious about your bite, know this: you have options.