Let’s Talk About Malocclusion
We’re willing to bet it’s highly unlikely that you sit around and think about how your bite works. However, your Spring pediatric dentist and orthodontist will tell you that the way it all comes together to help you eat and speak every day is actually very interesting.
In medical or dental terminology we refer to something called malocclusion. This simply means you have a “bad bite” or issues with how your top and bottom teeth are aligned. When this is out of whack, it can make your teeth unable to properly come together for a bite that’s right.
Maybe you’re already a patient with our talented orthodontist in Spring, so you know a thing or two about malocclusion. Even if you’ve never had any orthodontic work done, there’s a good chance that you know someone who has, according to data from a National Health and Nutrition survey. It estimates that up to two-thirds of Americans have some form of malocclusion at birth.
Treating Your Bite Right
At our pediatric dental and orthodontic office in Spring, we obviously see a lot of different types of malocclusion. We thought it might be interesting to quickly look at some of the most common kinds of malocclusions we see in our family of patients.
1) Type 1 – This alignment abnormality “takes the cake” so to speak in terms of the most common malocclusion we see in patients of all ages and stages of oral growth. This type of bite is relatively normal with a jaw that’s not necessarily in poor alignment. However, teeth can be crowded, unevenly spaced, or overlap.
2) Type 2 – We generally refer to this type of malocclusion as an overbite. This is when your lower jaw tilts inward way more than it should. Sometimes this causes the top teeth to poke forward or stick out.
3) Type 3 – We go from overbites to underbites with this type of malocclusion. Your lower jaw sometimes pushes out more than normal, causing the lower teeth to overlap your top teeth.
Is Malocclusion Fixable?
Your Spring orthodontist will tell you the answer to this question is — YES! Thanks to our advanced technology and treatment solutions, there are so many effective ways to fix a bad bite. With everything from traditional metal braces to more sophisticated Invisalign® aligners, we can find a solution that works for every schedule and budget.
Is there something more you’d like to know about malocclusion solutions in Spring? Are you interested in orthodontics for someone in your family who needs help straightening their smile? Please talk to the team at Matthew’s & Dai Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics.
