Is Overjet Bad?
Individuals who have an overjet often feel self-conscious about the appearance of their smile and will do everything they can to avoid smiling in public or having their picture taken.
Having an overjet can also cause a number of issues to develop, such as difficulty drinking, chewing, eating, and speaking. They may also have difficulty closing their lips fully. Having significant overjet increases an individual’s risk of losing their teeth prematurely, due to increased incisor trauma risk as well as having dry mouth, due to it being difficult to close their lips. Because of this reduced saliva, which is essential for protecting the teeth, tooth decay is much more likely to occur.
While there are negative consequences to having overjet, the good news is that there are several different procedures that can be performed to correct overjet. To learn more about these procedures and the benefits you will enjoy once your overjet is corrected, please refer to the following.
Treating Overjet
The two most common causes of overjet are genetic predisposition, either because a person was born with an underdeveloped lower jawbone or if their mother or father also had an overjet, and childhood habits, such as prolonged thumb sucking, use of a pacifier or bottle, and/or tongue-thrusting. If overjet is identified and treated early enough, it may be possible to avoid oral surgery, although removal of teeth at an early age to prevent overcrowding may also be sufficient in prevent overjet and overbite.
Although these treatments can be successful for younger patients, adults who have overjet or overbite will typically have to undergo surgery to correct their issue. This surgery will involve reshaping your jaw, making it either shorter or longer and utilize wires, plates, or screws to stabilize your jawbone.
While improving the aesthetic appearance of your smile is a significant benefit to correcting your overjet, there are many other benefits you will also enjoy, such as the following:
Improved ability to chew certain foods
Reduced discomfort while chewing, speaking, talking or drinking
Reduced risk of bruxism
Additional Treatment Options
Additional ways that overjet may be corrected include:
- Dental braces: Overjet may be corrected with dental braces, which will gradually shift your teeth to their desired location.
- Veneers: Veneers may also be recommended to correct your overjet. These veneers (typically made of porcelain) are attached to the front of your teeth and will address mild alignment issues as well as discoloration, cracks, and chips.
- Dental bonding: Dental bonding may be recommended to improve the appearance of protruding teeth.
- Dental crown: To make the appearance of protruding teeth appear to be uniform, a dental crown may be placed.
- Invisalign: Patients who would prefer to avoid traditional braces may be good candidates for Invisalign, which use thin, almost invisible aligners to straighten one’s teeth, and eliminate the needs for wires, bands, or metal brackets.
Schedule Your Appointment Today!
While having an overjet will not likely put you or your child at risk of any serious oral health issues, it does increase one’s risk of chipping or cracking their teeth and can have a serious impact on one’s sense of self-confidence. To avoid dealing with these issues, schedule an appointment with your periodontist today!