How Do You Fix an Overbite?
If your dentist or orthodontist advises you of the presence of an overbite, it means that the coverage of the lower incisors by the upper incisors is too great. In other words, the upper teeth “hide” the lower ones. While a large portion of the population lives with an overbite, it is important that you consider correcting this problem. Overbites can not only have serious consequences for your oral health, but also for general health and self-confidence. Problems related to overbites can include the following:
- Tooth decay including cavities, gum disease, and worn tooth enamel
- Jaw pain
- Severe headaches
- Discomfort or pain while eating
- Trouble with fully opening or closing mouth
- Sleep apnea
- Difficulty speaking
Orthodontic treatment for overbite
The goal of overbite treatments is to correct the incorrect relationship of the upper teeth to the lower teeth. Thus, a more aesthetic and functional bite is obtained, which improves the patient's quality of life.
The application of forces to the teeth to correct their position should be done in a timely and controlled manner. Taking the risk of doing it at home on your own is very dangerous. You risk generating much more damage than existing ones.
Correcting the overbite will depend on when it is done, whether it is a child, adolescent or adult patient, the severity of the problem and the root cause. An orthodontist will assess all these aspects and suggest the best solution for each particular case. Treatments can be surgical or non-surgical.
Non surgical
Orthodontic treatment is the first option to solve the problem of using different types of devices. Which method to use will depend on the age, origin and severity of the case.
Interceptive orthodontics: these are the devices that are placed in children between 6 and 11 years old. Indeed, this moment is the moment of dental replacement. They are used to guide and correct the growth of jaw bones as they develop. This type of early treatment helps to achieve a correct relationship of the two bones to each other and to avoid more difficult, traumatic, time-consuming and expensive approaches in the future. To treat the overbite, palatal expanders can be used. These are devices that adhere to the molars and have a screw that gradually separates the two pieces.
Braces: Fixed braces with braces and threads are helpful in correcting overbite in adolescents and adults. Here, a correct bone relationship is no longer obtained, but dental movements are performed which allow an acceptable harmony of the upper teeth with the lower teeth.
Invisalign: it is an alternative orthodontic treatment with invisible and removable braces. It can be used in adolescents and adults. Invisalign consists of the use of a series of transparent aligners made for each patient that generate movement of the teeth. It allows them to be aligned and placed in an appropriate relationship. You will obtain a result similar to that obtained with rings, but in a more aesthetic way.
Surgical
Surgery is the treatment of choice when the overbite problem is serious and cannot be resolved with orthodontics. It occurs in adult patients in whom the bone has already stopped growing. Typically, in adult cases, the origin is due to a bone problem. Thus, surgery is the only possibility to give a correct relationship to the upper and lower jaws.