Overbite refers to vertical overlapping of lower and upper teeth even with closed mouth or jaw. Dentist measures the space between the lower front and upper front teeth in over-jet. 20%-40% over-jet is normal and 3mm is normal overbite and anything beyond that needs dental intervention so that it does not worsen down.
An overview of normal overbite
Typical overbite promotes proper functioning of speaking, chewing and facial profile. Some of its main features cover:
- 20%-40% vertical overlapping on upper teeth than bottom teeth
- Horizontal overlapping of 3mm is normal overbite
- Bottom incisors will gently touch the upper incisors
- Perfect alignment with profile, cheeks and lips
Healthy overbite has normal measurements and enables chewing ability without jaw joints straining and dental tissue damage over time.
Define issues of overbite
If not treated, overbites with unusual measurements result in different issues over time:
Deep bite (excessive overbite)
Deep bite is excessive overbite in which the upper front teeth cover the lower ones by 30% or 4-5mm.
Deep bite issues
- Affecting chewing with strained jaw muscles
- Damage to the tooth enamel
- Due to alteration of tongue posture speech difficulty is prevalent
- High risk of biting issues inside the mouth especially in gums or cheeks
- Premature aging due to sagging of overly taut facial skin
Open bite (insufficient overbite)
Open bite takes place when bottom and top front teeth cannot overlap appropriately leading to gaps during natural biting position. As a result, it results in improper chewing function.
Issues associated to open bite
Open bite can result in several problems such as:
- Jaw joint discomfort and popping
- Tongue intrusion between the gaps that trap debris
- Speech impediment and difficulty in pronouncing syllables
- Improper force of chewing that makes eating difficult
What is increased overjet overbite?
When normal overbite enables 20%-40% overlapping in contrast to the bottom teeth width, the excessive overjet leads to prominent horizontal gaps. It increases the following risks:
- Social stigma as protrusive teeth appear as bucktoothed
- High chance of dental injury as lips won’t be able to cover and protect the overlapping teeth
- Speech impediment due to exaggerated movements of muscles for protrusive teeth
What are the kinds of overbite?
Major classifications of biting issue are correctly diagnosed by the dentistry and they are in the following:
- Skeletal overbite
It refers to discrepancy of vertical height between lower and upper facial bones. It needs a combination of surgery and orthodontic solutions.
- Dental overbite
It can happen when misaligned teeth cannot mesh properly leading to improper bite. It is possible to treat effectively through orthodontia.
- Functional overbite
Bruxism teeth grinding or misaligned positioning gives uneven contact of teeth during chewing. This can be fixed using orthodontic alignment and night guards which also take bite reorientation into account.
- Posterior open bite
When back molars cannot meet anterior teeth to retain the usual closure it leads to posterior open bite. Positioning realignment is possible with the help of customised orthopaedic training.
Treatment options for overbite
Mild overbite is possible to restore by using dental bonding or enameloplasty, which rebalance the bottom to top overlapping. But in cases of severe and moderate overbites, dentist needs to adapt suitable orthodontic solutions for realigning disrupted bites.
- Metal braces
In this treatment, dentist makes use of conventional stainless steel wires and brackets to shift the teeth to the desirable position gradually and strategically over time.
- Clear aligners
Dentist offers a set of custom-made transparent aligner trays for guiding the teeth to the original position every week sequentially.
- Retainers and headgears
Sometimes additional coaxing jaw development is important to use external devices and fix overbite. These redirect or expand the growth associated to the devices for cementing progress with the braces.
For adverse skeletal condition with deformational growth, dentist carries out orthographic overbite surgery that repositions both lower and upper jaw perfectly. After correcting the bone structures, the surgery takes care of proper teeth alignment promoting better orientation for facial profile and optimal bite.
Is overbite a normal condition?
No, overbite is not a normal condition. If not addressed on time, it can lead to severe dental issues affecting your overall health badly. Whenever you feel something is not right with your bite or you are having chewing discomfort or speech difficulty consult with the dentist right away. Depending on the issue, high resolution images and precise measurements they can come up with appropriate solution.
Conclusion
In case you feel something wrong with your dental health, it’s better to visit a dentist by making an appointment at Smile Clinic London Invisalign London. The experienced dentist can figure out the dental issue by examining the teeth extensively.
Even if they can find out the associated problems such as gum damage, accelerated tooth problem, speech difficulty and so on then please contact The Smile Clinic London, Private Dentist London. With proper examination they can determine the most appreciate solution and treatment for individual problems.
