There are a variety of common bite issues that may affect both your oral health and the look of your smile. You’ve probably heard of overbites and underbites, but there are several more bite issues that can occur in children and adults. Fortunately, most bite issues are totally treatable with orthodontic treatment.  

Common Bite Issues

• Overbite: An overbite is the result of your upper teeth extending out over your lower teeth. In addition to the poor esthetics that result from an overbite, this condition can cause speech issues and make it difficult to adequately chew food.

• Underbite: In an underbite, the lower jaw extends out far enough that the bottom teeth rest in front of the top teeth. Underbites can cause similar complications to those of overbites. But, cosmetically, underbites can be more obvious to the outside eye and thus create self-esteem issues.

• Crossbite:  In a crossbite, the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth. This can cause premature wear of the teeth and misaligned jaw growth. With a crossbite, many have to move their jaw to the side when closing their mouth, which can cause an array of muscle problems in the mouth and other jaw problems.

• Open bite:  An open bite results when the lower and upper front teeth don’t overlap, leaving an open space at the front of the mouth. This condition makes biting into food and chewing very difficult. Open bites are sometimes caused by things like tongue thrusting or thumb sucking.

• Crowding:  Crowding occurs when the teeth don’t have room to emerge properly from the gums, which causes to twist and overlap with each other.  Crowding is linked to periodontal disease as it makes dental hygiene especially difficult.

• Spacing: Spacing can result from missing or undersized teeth. With too much room along the jaw for the teeth, spacing is a bite issue in which there is excessive space between the teeth. Depending on the size of the spacing, food can get caught in these gaps and cause further hygiene issues.

• Deep Bite:  A deep bite is an extreme type of overbite where the bottom teeth might touch the roof of your mouth. Associated issues tend to include gummy smiles and excessive wear on certain teeth.

  
  

Contact North Texas Orthodontics Today

If you’re seeking bite correction or general orthodontics around Blue Ridge and Leonard, TX, don’t hesitate to contact North Texas Orthodontics today! You can call us at 469-663-6260. Or, feel free to contact us here!