Examples of Malocclusion
You may not be familiar with the term “malocclusion,” but chances are, you’re familiar with the condition. Malocclusion is a condition characterized by an improper alignment between the upper and lower teeth. The relationship between the upper and lower teeth is commonly called the bite, but the technical term is “occlusion,” which means that a malocclusion is literally a bad bite. Malocclusions can appear as many different types of dental misalignments and are classified by type and severity. A class one malocclusion appears as a slight overbite, with the upper front teeth slightly overlapping the front teeth in the lower jaw but with an otherwise unaffected bite. In a class two malocclusion, this overbite is more pronounced, and the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth to a more pronounced degree. Class three malocclusions are characterized by an underbite, in which the lower jaw juts forward and the lower teeth overlap the upper teeth.
It’s common for the upper front teeth to slightly overlap the lower teeth, but when this overlap is significant, the increased overbite that results can lead a patient to inadvertently bite down on their gums or bite into the roof of their mouth, damaging the soft tissues and causing painful ulcerations. A pronounced overbite can also lead to aesthetic issues and negatively affect a person’s self-esteem. An underbite, which is also called an anterior crossbite, is characterized by lower front teeth that are forward from the upper front teeth, overlapping when the jaw is closed. A crossbite is an underbite that occurs anywhere in the jaw; this can happen on both sides of the jaw, or only on one, and it can affect any of the teeth in each row.
Overcrowding is also a common type of malocclusion, and it is the most common reason that adults seek orthodontic treatment. Overcrowding appears as teeth that are crooked and overlapping and usually occurs because of a lack of space in the mouth. When people have missing teeth or small teeth, or if they sucked their thumb for a long time or have other habits that apply force to the backs of the teeth, they may face spacing issues, which can cause the teeth to become crowded and hinder the eruption of the secondary teeth. When a patient has an open bite, neither an overbite or underbite is present; instead, both rows of teeth meet, resulting in an opening in the bite that goes directly into the mouth. An open bite can affect the front teeth, or it can affect the teeth on the sides of the mouth.
An overjet is characterized by the top teeth extending horizontally past the bottom teeth. Overjets, in particular, can interfere with speech and negatively impact a person’s ability to chew comfortably and thoroughly. Diastema is the condition of having a gap between two adjacent teeth, which occurs most frequently in the front teeth. If a tooth is impacted, that means it can’t erupt through the gums on its own. Impacted teeth are usually treated by exposing the tooth to affix a brace to its surface, using the adjacent teeth to gently pull the tooth into place. If the impacted tooth is a rear molar, also known as a wisdom tooth, treatment is usually extraction. While missing teeth are often caused by some type of trauma, a condition of malocclusion can arise when a tooth is missing. This condition is also known as hypodontia and is usually caused by injury but can also be caused by improper development of the secondary teeth. Regardless of the type, most malocclusions can be effectively treated with orthodontic care, and a visit to your dentist is the first place to start.