Orthodontics can be used to treat a variety of teeth alignment issues, like a crossbite or crooked teeth. The alignment of a person’s teeth plays an important role when it comes to their oral and overall health. A person has a bad bite when some or all of their teeth do not come together as they should when the mouth is closed.
This often leads to a range of problems, from not being able to properly chew food to ruining the way that the person’s smile looks. Fortunately, orthodontics provides dentists with various options when it comes to correcting problems with their patients’ teeth alignment.
Dealing with poorly aligned teeth? Here are common teeth alignment issues that orthodontic devices like braces can correct.
A person is said to have a crossbite when their upper set of teeth sits on the inside of the lower set when their mouth is closed. The issue might only affect a tooth or an entire set of teeth. When left untreated, a crossbite can lead to other problems, such as uneven jaw development, worn-down teeth enamel, and unbalanced jaw movement.
A patient has a subsequent crossbite when their upper teeth at the back sit inside the bottom teeth. A frontal crossbite occurs when the top teeth sit behind the bottom teeth.
The severity of a patient’s condition often determines how a dentist approaches treating their crossbite. Clear aligners can be used if the patient’s issue is not caused by their jaw being in the wrong position, while braces can be used in all cases.
An underbite occurs when the lower set of teeth protrude past the upper set. It creates a “bulldog” type of look, with the patient appearing to frown whenever their face is in a neutral position. The condition puts stress on a person’s teeth and often leads to teeth wearing down or becoming damaged. The condition also weakens the temporomandibular joints (TMJ), increasing the risk of TMJ-related issues developing.
Braces are required to treat severe underbites because there might be a need to move the position of the patient’s jaw. Minor cases can be treated with clear aligners.
A frontal open bite occurs when the upper and lower jaws do not extend as far out as they should. The condition can be the result of mouth breathing, tongue pushing, or extreme thumb sucking. A posterior open bite occurs when only the back teeth fail to extend as they should.
An open bite often leads to tongue thrusts, speech issues, and difficulty swallowing. Minor cases can be treated with clear aligners, while severe cases require braces and other appliances that can move the patient’s jaw.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Orthodontics in Tustin, CA
Dealing with poorly aligned teeth? Call or stop by our Tustin clinic to learn more about how our dentist can fix a range of orthodontic issues.
Request an appointment or call FitSmiles Orthodontics at 714-782-0217 for an appointment in our Tustin office.
The severity of a person’s condition determines how long their orthodontics treatment will last. On average, it takes anywhere between 12 to 36 months. Proper teeth alignment is essential for tasks that most people take for granted, like speaking, breathing, and chewing.Orthodontics helps patients avoid a variety of problems. Improperly aligned teeth put pressure and…
Orthodontics can improve your appearance, but it can also improve the alignment of your teeth and jaw, which in turn, can improve your oral and systemic health. Orthodontic problems affect the health of a patient in different ways. Eliminating the root cause (usually a bad bite) can eliminate other problems that stem from the orthodontic…
There are several myths and misconceptions about orthodontics. This is the process of correcting teeth alignment issues using appliances like clear alignments and metal braces. Treatment with orthodontics sometimes also leads to improvements in a person’s facial structure and appearance.Misaligned teeth can ruin how a smile looks and can also increase the risk of issues…