Common Orthodontic Issues
Crowded teeth, gaps, or bite concerns may look familiar to us, but your smile and your story are entirely your own.
When you visit us for a complimentary consultation, Dr. Chris or Dr. Angie will examine your smile, clearly explain the underlying issue, and outline honest, no-pressure solutions that fit your goals and lifestyle. Most conditions can be treated with clear aligners, braces, and/or an orthodontic appliance.
Crowded Teeth
Teeth that are overlapping are considered ‘crowded’. More often than not, crowding is the result of insufficient room in the mouth. When the jaws aren’t wide enough to fit all teeth, teeth start overlapping each other as they’re emerging.
In some cases, crowded teeth can be prevented with a palatal expander appliance during childhood, while the jaws are still developing.
Spacing Issues
It’s normal to have some spaces between primary teeth. However, significant gaps or spaces in children, teens or adults may result from having excess room in the jaws, congenitally missing teeth (missing certain teeth at birth), cavities or trauma, or certain childhood habits (like thumbsucking).
Underbite
With an underbite, the lower jaw extends further than the upper jaw. This condition can cause facial imbalances, pain or difficulty when chewing and speaking, and can cause teeth to wear down prematurely due to not meeting evenly.
Excessive Overbite
When the upper jaw extends further than the lower jaw, this is called an overbite. Depending on how severe the condition is, an overbite can cause jaw pain, difficulty eating and chewing, and speech issues. In some cases, the lower teeth will meet the roof of the mouth – ouch!
Crossbite
When the upper teeth are positioned inside the lower teeth, this is called a crossbite. This may be a posterior crossbite (in the back of the mouth) or an anterior crossbite (toward the front of the mouth).
Crossbites can affect individual teeth or multiple teeth in a row. This condition may result from irregular tooth eruption, late loss of baby teeth, or thumbsucking during childhood. It can also occur due to a mismatch in the size of the upper and lower jaws.
Open Bite
If some of the top teeth don’t meet or overlap with the bottom teeth when the mouth is closed, this is called an open bite. (With a healthy alignment, the top teeth overlap the bottom teeth slightly.)
An open bite may be the result of skeletal development problems and/or childhood habits, like thumbsucking and tongue-thrusting. It can be extremely challenging to chew food properly and pronounce certain words with an open bite, and the facial structure is typically affected by this condition.
Protrusion
Protrusion occurs when the front teeth protrude outward more than normal. Commonly called “buck teeth”, this situation often results from thumbsucking, an underdeveloped lower jaw. or insufficient jaw size to fit all the teeth.
1
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
Book online or call/text our office to find a time that works for you.
2
Come in for Your First Visit
We’ll take a look, listen to your goals, and walk you through your options with no pressure.
3
Start Smiling
Begin your treatment with a personalized plan and a team who treats you like family.