For your mouth’s health, and other medical conditions, your dental bite is very important. The bite itself is the way that the upper and lower teeth meet. If they don’t align properly, this is called a malocclusion. With both adults and children, there are many types of bite issues.
What is a Crossbite?
The crossbite occurs when you close your mouth completely, and your upper teeth stay inside of your lower teeth. This can push your lower jaw forwards. If you don’t correct this, the jaw can grow lopsided, causing tooth enamel to be worn away.
What is an Underbite?
An underbite is when your lower teeth fit inside of your upper teeth. If this stays uncorrected, your teeth may end up worn and the joints of the jaw can be stressed, plus there are issues with appearance.
What is an Anterior Open Bite?
When you go through excessive sucking or mouth breathing, it can cause the upper and lower teeth not to overlap, when the back teeth are together.
What is a Posterior Open Bite?
This occurs when the back teeth don’t meet and the front teeth do. For both posterior and anterior open bites, issues with speech and swallowing can arise if not fixed.
What is a Deep Bite?
This occurs when the upper front teeth are covering the lower teeth too much, meaning that the upper teeth can end up biting into the lower gums and the lower teeth may bite into the roof of your mouth. This can lead to gum disease and early wear to the enamel.
What is Crowding?
Crowding occurs when there is insufficient space in the jaw or large teeth, resulting in not enough space for the teeth and letting the teeth overlap. This can lead to the teeth rotating or appearing crooked, making them harder to clean.
What is Spacing?
Spacing may occur if teeth are missing or too small, if the jaw is too large, or both of these. This can lead to cavities and gum disease.
What is Protrusion?
Protrusion is when the front teeth are sticking out, the upper jaw is protruding forward or the lower jaw too far back. The teeth sometimes can grow at an angle. In this situation, upper teeth have a risk of breaking and closing the mouth and lips is harder. This can lead to oral tissue drying out, issues with speech, a longer, narrower face and tooth decay.
What can I do?
If these issues arise in childhood, they will not correct themselves. In fact, if left untreated, the issues can only get worse. Whether the issues have been found in childhood or adulthood, you should consult with your dentist. Usually, initial consultations are free of charge, and professional advice is always worth it.
