2 Ways Braces Can Provide Dental Correction For A Painful Overbite
by Harold Coleman
An overbite happens when upper teeth protrude further than the lower teeth. This noticeable overbite can make you self-conscious about your smile. The misalignment can also cause you a deal of discomfort and pain from the way your jaw has to shift in order to chew or close your mouth comfortably.
Having a dentist correct the overbite can ease that pain. The treatment method will depend on the cause of your overbite.
Dental Overbite: Braces and Extractions
Your overbite can be caused by the teeth shifting or leaning, the jaw being out of place, or a combination of the two. If it's a problem with the teeth being out of place, your dentist can likely treat the problem with braces.
Clear braces are popular among adults because they are less noticeable then metal braces and you can remove them when eating. Your dentist will create a series of clear trays that are each designed to mold to your teeth and push them back into proper position.
If there is a tooth that's causing crowding, it could prevent the surrounding teeth from pushing back into place. Your dentist might decide to do an extraction of that problem tooth. The braces can then be used to push the other teeth back and then together to close the gap from the missing tooth.
Skeletal Overbite: Jaw Surgery and Braces
An oral surgeon visit will be in your future if your overbite is due to a skeletal problem. The surgeon will conduct a series of tests and scans to determine the exact natural of your skeletal problem and then recommend a surgical route for you.
An overbite can be caused by the top jaw shifting too far out or the lower jaw shifting too far inwards. The dental surgeon will operate on the section of jaw that's out of place and either remove bone or splice in artificial bone to get the jaw in the proper position.
Surgery does require anesthesia and you will have some recovery time, but this is the only way to truly correct a substantial overbite. Note that you may still need to do clear braces if some of the teeth are out of position on the jaw. You might also need to have a tooth extraction to get the teeth back in position.
Talk with a dentist like Virgin Valley Dental today about your treatment options. Leaving the problem alone can lead to even more dental pain in the future. You might be surprised how relatively easy the treatment will be compared to living your life in daily discomfort.
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About Me
I have never liked my teeth. I had a lot of dental problems, including deep staining and oddly shaped teeth. Every tooth did not have the same shape, and some were rounded while others were more square. Not surprisingly, I never smiled in pictures and not even much in real life. This left people thinking I was mean before they even met me. My dentist told me my best bet to improve the look of my smile was a set of porcelain dental veneers. He said they could make all my teeth white and the same shape. I said I wanted them without any hesitation, and we scheduled my procedures. I love my new teeth, and they really did change my life. I created this blog to help other people living with teeth they don't like realize that they do have options that can improve their smiles and their lives.