What Is An Overbite

A beautiful grin helps you to greet the world with confidence. It’s also a crucial part of your overall oral health. However, did you know that overbites, also called deep bites, are very common in our modern world?

A slight overbite doesn’t usually cause any oral health challenges and can be left alone. However, if your upper teeth significantly overlap your lower ones, there is a good chance that your dentist might recommend that you visit an orthodontist for an evaluation and possible treatment plan.

Keep reading to discover how you can correct your overbite and transform your smile.

What Causes an Overbite?

A genetic malformation of the jaw often causes deep bites. Other common reasons include missing teeth, extended thumb sucking and pacifier use as a young child, clenching and grinding teeth, and gum disease. Regardless of the reason for your overbite, you can be confident that an orthodontist can correct your bite.

The Downside of a Deep Bite

Although overbites are a common problem for many people, you should consider treating a marked bite problem before you experience too many of the disadvantages that come with an imperfect bite. Some of the issues that arise from a severe overbite include:

Tooth decay

An increased number of mouth sores

Chewing difficulties

Living with an uncomfortable overbite is no fun. The positive news is that Smiles for Life Orthodontics specializes in turning major overbites into well-aligned smiles so you can say goodbye to a sore mouth.

Typical treatment options

Your overbite didn’t develop overnight, and straightening your teeth will take time and effort. Braces are the most widely used way to correct a misalignment in your bite. Expect to wear braces for anywhere from one to three years, followed by a retainer to keep your teeth in the proper position.

Don’t worry if the prospect of a mouth filled with metal brings back unhappy memories of middle school. Worry not, since many of today’s braces are nearly invisible. We’ll help you to choose the best type of braces to fit your treatment needs and budget.

Lastly, you don’t need to live with the consequences of your self-image and oral health that come from an overbite. The professionals at Smiles for Life Orthodontics know how to comfortably and affordably help you achieve a beautiful smile.

Contact us at Smiles for Life Orthodontics for a thorough evaluation of your bite and an honest discussion of appropriate treatment options.

What is an overbite and how to correct it?

What is an overbite? A deep overbite can affect your desire to smile and can even make it difficult to chew food effectively. Here’s what you must know about overbites and the effective treatments that will have you showing off your beautiful smile in no time.

What is an overbite - the basics

In general, you’ll know that you have an overbite if your front teeth overlap the teeth below them. While an overbite can result from your genes, it’s also possible to develop one through thumb sucking and drinking from a bottle as a toddler. Grown-up habits like biting on your nails also produce an overbite situation.

Figuring out if your overbite warrants attention from an orthodontist often requires the expert advice of your dentist. Keep in mind that minor overbites often fall within the normal range and might not need any treatment. Your dentist will examine your overbite to help you to determine if you should seek additional treatment from an orthodontist to correct it.

Potential Problems with an Overbite

Once you find out that your dentist thinks that a referral to an orthodontist is necessary, you might be tempted to delay making that first appointment. However, before you forget about following up on treatment for your overbite, please consider the problems that come with delaying treatment. Some of the troubles that come from untreated misaligned teeth include:

• Chewing problems
• Cleaning challenges that impact overall oral health
• Chipped and broken teeth
• Jaw pain
• Speech difficulty

Luckily, you don’t need to continue to suffer from an overbite as there are effective and affordable treatments available today that will correct your uneven bite and replace it with beautifully aligned top and bottom teeth.

Overbite treatment at Smiles for Life Orthodontics

The good news when you’re suffering from a pronounced overbite is that since overbites are so common, there are terrific treatments available to correct the problem. Overbites respond well to treatment at any age, so it’s never too late to invest in improving your smile.

We always start developing your treatment plan by taking a series of x-rays so that we can determine the exact nature of the overbite. Our staff believes in developing a close partnership with our patients, and we’ll work with you to put together a treatment plan that meets your needs and budget. Typical overbite treatment methods involve fitting you with a custom set of braces that will move your teeth into proper alignment over some time.

The severity of your overbite helps to determine how long you’ll need to wear the braces to achieve the desired result. Expect your correction plan to take at least one to two years. Although correcting your overbite will take time, your patience will find a reward in a beautiful new smile.

Lastly, now that you know the answer to what is an overbite it’s time to contact us at Smiles for Life Orthodontics. We’re experts in creating beautiful smiles, and we can’t wait to have you join our Smiles for Life family.