Adequately aligned jaws are considered to be aesthetically pleasing and makes a smile look attractive. But, not everybody has a perfectly aligned jaw. If you are one of those people who have slightly or majorly misaligned jaw, it is better to get it treated soon. If a misaligned jaw is not fixed in time, it may give rise to various oral health problems that may be difficult to handle later. Difficulty while speaking and eating, chewing, difficulty in cleaning the teeth are some of the issues you may face due to misaligned jaw. Here are some types of common reasons for orthodontic treatment for bite problems caused due to misalignment of jaws:

Crowding

Crowding occurs when the teeth do not have enough place to erupt from the gums. If there isn’t enough space for teeth to emerge, then the teeth will erupt incorrectly. When the teeth erupt incorrectly, food may get stuck in between and it also becomes difficult to clean your teeth. This may lead to tooth decay. Also, when teeth erupt incorrectly, there is an abnormal bite pattern, which affects the functioning of the teeth. Crowding not only affects the oral functioning but also lowers self-esteem because of an unattractive smile.

Spacing

A dental condition in which there is excessive space between each tooth is referred to as ‘spacing issue’. Due to excessive space between the teeth, there isn’t enough protection to the gums. Also, there is high chance of food particles being stuck and bacteria accumulating in the gaps. As a result, spacing increases the risk of decay and periodontal diseases. Also, such a dental issue hampers the teeth functioning and lowers confidence.

Overbite

An overbite occurs when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. Such a dental condition is either hereditary or caused by a malformed jaw. The uneven growth of the jaw can be due to certain childhood habits, which cause protrusion of the upper jaw or under development of lower jaw. Childhood habits such as thumb sucking, prolonged bottle feeding, or tongue thrusting can possibly cause an overbite. .

Underbite

An underbite is a dental condition that happens when the lower teeth overlap with the upper teeth. If the space between the teeth is wide, then it may lead to difficulty in speaking and eating, chronic jaw pain, earache and headache, and tooth decay. Thus, it demands the attention of an orthodontist.

Crossbite

Crossbite is referred to as a dental condition where a tooth or teeth are misaligned with the corresponding tooth or teeth, or are closer to the tongue or cheeks than their ideal position. It prevents the jaws from closing correctly and causes difficulties in speaking and eating.  Crossbite can be caused due to delayed tooth eruption, incorrect tooth eruption, or because of hereditary reasons. Crossbite not only affects the teeth position but also affects the facial structure.

 

If you want to get yourself checked for your smile and common bite problems, contact us at Edmonton Smiles. We can help you with these issues and leave you with a beautiful smile.