Often, people decide to seek orthodontic treatment because they want straighter teeth. Usually, your teeth are out of alignment because of a malocclusion, or bad bite. Several different bite issues exist that may cause you to need orthodontic treatment. Your orthodontist will examine your entire mouth and recommend the best course of treatment to give you a straight, healthy smile.
Types of malocclusions include:
Crowding
When you don’t have enough room in your mouth to accommodate your teeth, crowding occurs. Not only do crowded teeth look less attractive, but they also compromise your oral health by making it harder to brush and floss.
Overbites
Also called a deep bite, an overbite is a situation where the front teeth dramatically cover the lower teeth. Without treatment, an overbite can lead to excessive tooth wear.
Underbites
Caused when the lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw, an underbite makes the bottom teeth protrude in front of the top teeth.
Extra Space
If teeth are small or missing, you can end up with too much space. Though this issue is often cosmetic, you should have extra space evaluated by an orthodontist.
Open bite
Usually caused by a habit such as tongue thrusting or thumb sucking, an open bite is when an individual can stick his or her tongue between the teeth while biting down.
Protruding Teeth
Sometimes, the upper teeth come too far forward or the lower teeth don’t stick out far enough, which is called protruding teeth.
It’s time to schedule a visit to our Sherman Oaks, CA orthodontic office – Mehdi Fotovat, DDS.
