Teeth misalignments are a common problem. Many people develop misalignments at an early age and need to have their misalignments corrected in order to have healthy, beautiful teeth. Letting this problem go can lead to a variety of other problems, such as pain while biting down, headaches, wear and tear on tooth enamel, broken teeth, cracked teeth, and more.
Overbite
Overbites occur when the upper teeth stick out farther than the lower teeth. Most people have an overbite to some degree, but severe overbites can lead to excessive wear and tear on the teeth, and can also impact your smile. Some people develop an overbite because they press their tongue against the front of their teeth, while others develop an overbite because of their genetics. Behaviors like thumb sucking and pacifier use can contribute to this as well.
Underbite
When your lower arch of teeth extends past your upper arch, this is what we call an underbite. Underbites can be a problem for older children and adults who sucked their thumbs or who used a pacifier when they were a baby. In addition, some people are just naturally predisposed to an underbite due to their genetics. An underbite can be a problem because they affect the way you chew your food.
Crossbite
A crossbite occurs when the arches crisscross when you bite down. This can happen due to abnormal growth of adult teeth. Crossbites are rare, but for anyone who has a crossbite, they can be a big problem. With this kind of misalignment, biting down can cause significant wear and tear on the teeth, including chipping and cracking.
Open Bite
An open bite can occur when the top and bottom teeth don’t meet up when the jaw is closed. Open bites occur due to habits like thumb sucking and can occur in the front or back of the mouth. Open bites cause speech problems and make eating hard.
Crowded or Gapped Teeth
Crowded teeth happen when the jaw is too small to fit all the teeth, so they grow in pressed against each other and sometimes slightly crooked or overlapping. Some people have enough space for their teeth until their wisdom teeth grow in, while others have crowded teeth even before their wisdom teeth erupt.
Crowding can cause tooth decay because teeth that are pressed too close together can be much harder to clean effectively. People with crowded teeth are at risk for problems like gum disease and cavities.
Gapped teeth happen when there’s more space than the teeth can realistically fill. When this occurs, a gap develops between the teeth – usually between the two front teeth.
Treat Misaligned Teeth with Teeth Aligners
At Weninger Dentistry in Tampa, FL, we treat common tooth misalignments with clear aligners. These teeth aligners are made from clear plastic that gently pushes the teeth into the proper position over time. If you believe that you are a good candidate for clear aligners, contact us to make an appointment today.