Underbite
An underbite is when the upper teeth rest behind the lower front teeth. This problem is best treated as early as possible.
Common Concerns
Crossbite
A crossbite occurs when the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth, which may cause tooth stratification and misaligned jaw growth. This results in an improper use of the lower jaws and sometimes makes the face uneven.
Upper Front Teeth Protrusion
This is when the upper teeth extend too far forward or the lower teeth do not extending far enough forward. This results in how the person looks and how they work.
Overbite
Lower lip entrapment, a digit sucking habit, a deep bite, and/or a tongue tie when the upper front teeth extend too far forward, they are at risk of injury. If the underbite is the result of a habit or other problem (such as lower lip entrapment, a finger or thumb sucking habit, a deep bite, and/or a tongue tie) we can address early, we want to intervene and get growth back on the right track.
Crowding
Crowding can be an early sign that there is not enough bone growth to accommodate the adult teeth. The best thing to do for these growing children is expansion. Today, we can help develop more bone, alleviating the crowding and helping to avoid extractions and gum recession later in life.
Spacing
Spacing is a terrific and normal finding in the primary dentition. In the adult dentition, spacing may be a sign that there is an anterior tongue placement habit. It can also be secondary to congenitally small teeth. We will look at the root cause of spacing and help determine your best treatment options.
Open bite
Open bites are signs that there is not enough room for the tongue and/or that there is a tongue tie. Open bites are sometimes the first sign that there is an airway issue with a growing child. Correction of an open bite includes understanding why it happened in the first place and treating the root cause as a part of comprehensive treatment. If you see an open bite pattern developing, please see us for an evaluation.
Dental Midlines not Matched
Dental mid lines that do not match are evident when the front center teeth and lower center teeth are not in alignment. This typically means the back bite does not fit and match appropriately. This may impact jaw and dental function.