Uneven Bite? Crown House Dental Can Help

Posted by Crown House Dental on 15th February 2016

Bite problems - a closer look at this relatively common condition.

Our Egham dental practice receives many new patients annually, and one problem we often hear about is a misaligned bite, otherwise known as malocclusion. It may also be called an underbite, open bite, overbite, crossbite, or simply as overcrowded teeth.

It is an issue with the jaw and teeth that can cause many different health concerns if left unchecked or untreated. The teeth may struggle to do the job they are designed to do if they aren't properly lined up, which is why it is important we diagnose it quickly so we can create a treatment plan to help protect your oral health.

How Can You Tell?

A dentist will look for various telltale signs that you have misaligned teeth. Of course you can usually see the issues but, there may be other features only a trained eye is able to spot. Most often we will be checking that your teeth fit properly within your mouth, showing that there are no crowding problems. None of the teeth should twist around or be facing the wrong way and the teeth on the top jaw should ever so slightly go over the teeth on the bottom jaw so the top and bottom molars fit together. When your teeth do not align, this is called a malocclusion. Typically the dentist will look for altered facial appearance, regular biting of the cheeks or tongue, pain or discomfort with the bite (i.e. when chewing), a lisp, speech issues and breathing through the mouth more than through the nose.

What Causes It?

Often malocclusion is inherited but sometimes incidents, habits or conditions will cause the problem to arise. Problems such as:

●     Sucking a thumb, dummy or bottle after the recommended age to stop using these things (around 2-3)

●     A cleft palate or lip

●     Injuries

●     Growths

●     Improper oral health care

●     Improper dental treatment

●     Teeth that are shaped abnormally

The reason a person has malocclusion may also be a combination of any of these reasons.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Your Egham dentist will need to diagnose and classify your malocclusion before recommending any treatment. You should expect routine dental exams to pick out the issues, where your dentist will then classify your malocclusion depending on what type it is and how severe it is.  Class 3 is where they overlap is very slight, Class 2 is where the overbite is severe, Class 1 is where there is an underbite which is severe.

How Is It Treated?

Everyone is different, but most often we find that mild malocclusions do not require treatment. We can of course discuss cosmetic or general dentistry if a person feels that certain treatments would help, but we wouldn't necessarily recommend something like braces to a person with a mild malocclusion. When a person has a severe malocclusion we will refer them to one of our orthodontists who may recommend braces, teeth removal, teeth reshaping, jaw reshaping or jaw wires. Everyone is different, so of course the treatment recommendations will differ and may combine different approaches in order to get the best possible results for the patient.

Do You Think You Have Malocclusion?

If you think you have malocclusion, or you know you do and have been putting off seeking treatment, please give us a call on 01784432641. We are professionally trained to diagnose and treat this issue and have many dental solutions to suit any budget, diagnosis and aesthetic preference. Don't delay in getting the treatment you deserve, call Crown House Dental today.

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