Experiencing Bite Problems? Braces Are Your Solution

biting problems

Malocclusions, or bite problems, are misalignments along the upper and lower dental arches. This results in incorrect positioning when the jaws close. Besides causing discomfort to the person, this also creates a higher risk for dental problems, such as cavities and gum disease. Thankfully, people with bite problems can receive a corrective treatment by receiving braces to show a straight smile.

Why Do People Experience Bite Problems?

People can have bite problems from two potential causes, with genetics playing a larger role than the other. Parents who inherited orthodontic conditions like malocclusions will pass this on to their children. This leads to people being born with malformed jaws from birth, resulting in an uneven development as they grow older. They can have jaws that are either too small or too big, causing large gaps or overcrowding of teeth.

Besides genetics, environmental factors and certain habits can also influence an individual's jaw shape. People who used a pacifier for a prolonged period tend to develop an overbite. As a person gets older, other habits like nail-biting and teeth grinding can also develop bite issues.

What Are Bite Problems?

People can have bite problems without realizing it if it's not too severe. This allows some people to live normally without adjusting their teeth's alignment. However, there are cases when these tooth alignment issues will require orthodontic treatments.

Bite problems can manifest in different ways, depending on the improper positioning of your teeth or jaws. If you have bite problems, it'll either be an overbite, underbite, or crossbite, depending on your misalignment issues.
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• Overbite: You have an overbite when your upper teeth protrude further than your lower jaw. Patients that have an overbite can be minor or severe, depending on the distance. People can have a gap between 3mm to over 10mm between the upper and lower teeth. In contrast, an overbite is when the lower jaw extends further than the upper jaw.
• Crossbite: A crossbite tends to come from genetic causes since it's improbable to develop it from habits or lifestyle choices. A person with a crossbite has a narrow upper jaw, which creates misalignment and overcrowding in contrast to its lower jaw. If a child doesn't receive treatment for it, the permanent teeth can be more complicated to treat.

How Can Braces Fix Your Bite Problems?

Since different people's bite problems will vary in severity, your treatment must first receive an assessment from a dental professional. Diagnosis through X-rays will help recognize what teeth alignment procedures will be possible.

Most cases won't require invasive oral surgery, which means you'll only need the attachment of braces to the upper and lower arches of your teeth. However, there are situations where teeth extraction may be necessary to manage overcrowding teeth.

After attaching the braces, metal brackets will connect to your teeth through a wire to help straighten and align your teeth. Over time, your jawline will slowly shift into the correct position that encourages a straight smile with elastics. Patients can remove them during eating, drinking, and brushing, but must keep them on for the rest of the day.

Conclusion

Eventually, after your jaw and teeth have a more comfortable placement, your braces will be removed. Afterward, you'll need a retainer to maintain the teeth's correct positions. This tooth alignment procedure's entire duration can last anytime between 6 months to 2 years, depending on your condition's severity. This is why it's best to receive proper treatment as soon as possible from a dental professional.

At 24/7 Emergency Dental Clinic, we provide relief from toothaches, jaw pain, gum diseases, and more with our pain management and tooth restorative services. If you want to receive braces from an emergency dentist in Calgary, schedule an appointment with us today!