What You Need to Know About Correcting Overbites and Underbites
Posted on 4/25/2022 by Candice
Malocclusions can present many problems in your bite. Although people tend to be concerned about their aesthetics, overbites and underbites can impact a person more than just cosmetically. Over time, underbites and overbites have long-lasting ramifications and effects on the surrounding jaw structures and functions. Additionally, malocclusions bring psychological consequences to an individual.
Consequences of Overbites and Underbites
When you have underbites or overbites, you may have soft tissue trauma and lack of spaces between the teeth in addition to tooth wear. In mild forms of underbites and overbites, the dental effects may sometimes be unnoticeable, but if the malocclusion is more severe, the effects are more pronounced. The dental effects of malocclusions are a result of the excessive overlap of your lower and upper incisors. The lesser effects of malocclusions include chronic jaw joint pain, sleep apnea, and chronic mouth breathing.
Fixing an Overbite and an Underbite
A dental specialist may fix an underbite or overbite with braces or orthodontics alone. However, for more serious cases, orthognathic surgery is performed. Often, corrective jaw surgery may require a multi-specialty approach where an oral and maxillofacial team comprising of an orthodontist, an oral surgeon, and even a general dentist work together to fix the problem.
Before the surgery, the patient may receive braces to move the teeth gently to the proper position. The surgery is then performed to move the jaw. After moving the jaw, it is secured into place using screws or plates. In some cases, an oral surgeon may have to wire-shut the jaw for some time so that it remains firmly secured in the new position as the healing process continues. During and after healing, you will continue seeing the OMS team to see if the jaw alignment is proper. You may also continue to wear braces to move the teeth to the final position. Visit our OMS team today to get more information about malocclusion or overbite and underbite treatment options.
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