One or more of the upper teeth biting on the inside of the lower teeth characterizes a crossbite. A crossbite can occur in the front and/or the sides of the mouth. Early correction of crossbites is recommended and necessary.

Crossbites should be corrected because they can:

• Cause premature wear of the teeth.
• Cause gum disease including bone loss.
• Cause asymmetrical development of the jaws.
• Cause dysfunctional chewing patterns.
• Make your smile less attractive.
• Be related to jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ).

How can a crossbite be orthodontically corrected?

If there is a single tooth crossbite, braces or a retainer may be used to move it into the correct position. If multiple teeth are in crossbite, a palatal expander of some type is normally required.

Openbite

Inadequate vertical overlap of the front teeth characterizes an openbite. It is caused by oral habits such as tongue thrust, digit sucking, or jaws that don’t grow evenly. Timing of treatment is critical to the overall success of the therapy.

Openbite should be corrected because it can:

• Cause premature wear of the back teeth.
• Cause dysfunctional chewing patterns.
• Make your smile less attractive.
• Be related to jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ).

How can an openbite be orthodontically corrected?

Openbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws; extrusion of the front teeth; and in some severe cases surgical correction is required for the jaws. Breaking oral habits such as digit sucking will facilitate the correction of an openbite and make the result more stable.Early recognition and treatment is critical to avoiding surgical intervention.

Overbite

Overbite is a measure of the vertical overlap of the upper and lower front teeth. Excessive overbite may be caused by disproportionate eruption of front teeth or over development of the bone that supports the teeth. Excessive overbite is commonly seen in conjunction with a Class II relationship (see below). Overbite is also known as a deep bite.

Overbite should be corrected because it can:

• Cause improper functioning of your front teeth.
• Result in the lower front teeth biting into the gum tissue of the palate leading to periodontal problems.
• Cause unusual wear of the lower front teeth.
• Make your smile less attractive.

How can an overbite be orthodontically corrected?

Overbite can be corrected through orthodontic leveling of the front and/or back teeth.

Overjet

Overjet is measure of the horizontal relationship of the upper and lower front teeth. It is often called buck teeth and is commonly confused with overbite. Excessive overjet may be caused by improper alignment of the molars (Class II relationship), a skeletal imbalance of the upper and lower jaw(s), flared upper incisors, missing lower teeth, crowded or tipped back lower teeth, or a combination of all. In addition, oral habits such as digit sucking or tongue thrusting can exacerbate the condition.

Overjet should be corrected because it can:

• Prevent proper functioning of the front teeth.
• Lead to premature wear.
• Make your smile less attractive.

Underbite

The lower teeth biting in front of the upper teeth characterizes an underbite. An underbite is usually caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or a combination of the two (Class III relationship). Underbite can also be caused by tipped back upper incisors, flared lower incisors, missing upper teeth, or a combination of all.

Early correction of underbite is recommended because it can:

• Prevent proper functioning of the front and/or back teeth.
• Be related to jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ).
• Make your smile less attractive.

How can an underbite be orthodontically corrected?

Underbite can be corrected by growth modification of the jaws; extraction of teeth; and in some cases surgical movement of the jaws.

Impacted Teeth

An impacted tooth is one that has failed to erupt normally into the mouth and remains partially or totally covered by the gums and/or bone. Impactions can be caused by improper position of the developing tooth bud, premature loss of primary teeth, and crowding. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly impacted teeth, but canines and premolars are also commonly impacted.

This problem should be corrected because it can:

• Cause damage to the root structure of adjacent teeth.
• Leave unwanted spaces.
• Lead to improper functioning of the teeth.
• Cause asymmetric alignment of the teeth.

How can impacted teeth be orthodontically corrected?

Usually the impacted tooth is exposed and orthodontically moved into the correct position. Correction of impacted teeth often involves a minor surgical procedure performed by an oral surgeon working closely with our practice. This will allow us to guide the impacted tooth into the proper position.

Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can be the result of congenital absence (the tooth fails to develop), trauma, or dental extractions.

This problem should be corrected because it can:

• Cause improper functioning of teeth.
• Cause premature wear of teeth.
• Cause asymmetric alignment of the teeth.
• Make your smile less attractive.

How can missing teeth be orthodontically corrected?

Depending upon the situation, the space can be closed with braces or opened for tooth replacement. A bridge or dental implant is used to replace the missing tooth if a space is created.

Crowding Of Teeth

Crowding is the lack of space for all the teeth to fit normally within the jaws. The teeth may be rotated or displaced. Crowding occurs when there is disharmony in the tooth- to-jaw size relationship or when the teeth are larger than the available space. Crowding can be caused by early or late loss of primary teeth, improper eruption of teeth, or a genetic imbalance between jaw and tooth size.

Crowding should be corrected because it can:

• Make it much more difficult to properly clean all the surfaces of your teeth.
• Increase the chances of dental decay (because of inadequate cleaning).
• Increase the chances of gum disease (because of inadequate cleaning).
• Make your smile less attractive.

How can crowding be orthodontically corrected?

Extra space can be created by expansion of the arches or extraction of teeth. Once space is created, braces are used to align the teeth. Correction of crowding can help prevent dental decay and periodontal disease by improving the ability to remove plaque from the teeth.

Spacing Of Teeth

Spacing is the opposite of crowding and is an excess of available space, resulting in gaps between the teeth. This generally occurs when the teeth are smaller than the available space. Protrusive teeth, missing or impacted teeth, or abnormal gum tissue attachments can also cause spacing.

Spacing should be corrected because it can:

• Result in gum problems due to the lack of protection by the teeth.
• Prevent proper functioning of the teeth.
• Make your smile less attractive.

How can spacing of the teeth be orthodontically corrected?

Moving the teeth together and properly aligning them within the jaws can close the spaces.