When you have an overbite, your front upper teeth overlap your front lower teeth. While there are many people whose upper teeth protrude over the lower ones slightly, an overbite can become a severe problem when eating is a challenge or if your jaw starts aching as a result. Overbites typically result from a poorly formed jaw that grew unevenly when a person was growing up. Additional factors such as thumb sucking and feeding on a bottle could worsen the problem. When you realise that you have an overbite, one of the best correctional measures you can take to fix the problem would be getting braces.
Diagnosis
Only a qualified orthodontist can help you find out if the malocclusion that you are suffering from is an overbite. The experts typically have varying degrees that they use to rate an overbite. The higher your overbite degree, the more time it will take to rectify the problem. Experts recommend that you get a proper diagnosis before you seek braces or any other corrective measures to deal with your overbite.
How the braces work
The braces are installed to move the teeth back so that they can stop overlapping the lower teeth. They are placed in a manner that tightens them and forces them to move inwards. When they start moving inwards, the brackets are shifted, and the wires are stretched again. The process continues until the teeth reach a point where they are correctly aligned with the lower set.
How long it takes to correct an overbite
An overbite is a problem that is corrected over an extended period. It is important to note that once the jaw of an adult has been fully formed, it becomes challenging to mould and adjust it. You, therefore, need to be very patient with the treatment process as it can take some months and even years.
Overbites are problems that can be addressed by competent orthodontists. Children are usually the best candidates for the treatment with braces because their jaws are still young and easy to reshape. After the braces have been removed, the orthodontists also give you a retainer whose purpose to keep the teeth in place.
Note that leaving an overbite untreated can lead to complications such as headaches, pain and discomfort when eating, trouble sleeping, speech difficulties and pain in the jaw. When you have the guidance of a competent orthodontist, all these issues will be a distant memory.
Share25 January 2018
When I had my first child, I was a nervous wreck. Every book I read gave different advice, and I just wanted to be right! By the time I had my third child, some of the stress had abated. I now realised, there were tons of different perspectives on everything related to raising children including dentistry. To help parents, I have created this blog dedicated to unraveling dental myths about children. I am including posts that weigh both sides of issues such as thumb sucking, dental caries, breastfeeding, flossing and any other topic I can think of. I hope you find the information you need to unravel dental myths, but most importantly, I hope you find some peace of mind. With kids and dentistry, there can be more than one right answer, and I want you to be able to relax and go with the answer that's right for you.
