A Misaligned Bite Affect More Than Just Your Smile
In an ideal world, our jaws and teeth should align perfectly to give us that perfect smile we see on television. Because of our unique individual self, our smiles come in many shapes and sizes. The way our jawbone and teeth align affects how the upper and lower teeth fit together. Knowing the difference between a healthy and abnormal dental bite can help you determine if you have a balanced bite. Only after visiting your dentist, can he or she determine if your dental bite appropriately aligned. A misaligned bite can cause problems with chewing, jaw pain, crowded teeth, and speaking problems, and self-esteem.
Dental Malocclusion
If your bite alignment is normal, the lower teeth will protect you from biting your tongue, and the upper teeth will prevent you from biting your lips. Your dentist will refer to this as normal occlusion. The term occlusion refers to the alignment of your bite. If your dentist determines that you have a malocclusion bite, the dentist has determined that you have a misaligned bite. A misaligned bite can result in an over or under bite. Malocclusion can be caused by many factors, such as:
- Genetics
- Differences in the upper and lower jaw size
- Difference between the teeth and jaw size
- Gaps between teeth, extra teeth, or impacted teeth
- Cleft palate
- Childhood habits
These are only a few examples of what can cause teeth to be misaligned.
Common bite alignment problems
Tooth Crowding
The most common reason for overcrowding is due to the lack of space available in each jaw and the size of the teeth. Crowding can lead to impacted teeth that affect the bite.
Overbite
Some overlap between the upper and lower jaw is healthy. An overbite occurs when the overlap between the upper and lower jaw becomes extreme with the upper teeth extending well past the lower teeth. An overbite can cause your front teeth to bite down onto your gums, impair speech, and chewing.
Underbite
In contrast, an underbite is a condition when the lower teeth extend extremely outward than the upper teeth. An underbite can cause jaw pains, impaired speech, and chewing.
Be sure to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to make an appointment if you have concerns about your bite. The dental professionals at California Dental Group will be glad to help you find ways to help. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
