A bad bite or malocclusion means your teeth and or jaws do not align together ideally.
There are various types of malocclusion. A malocclusion may predispose you to fractured teeth, sensitivity, abfractions, headaches, TMJ problems, faster tooth structure wear, and collapsing of the bite.
There are various options for malocclusion. Some malocclusions will have minimal impact on health; others may have a major impact. We will discuss your bite during our signature comprehensive examination.
Types of Malocclusion
Crowding of Teeth:
Crowding makes it more difficult to clean between teeth, increasing staining, tartar, and difficulties flossing. Increased plaque and tartar could lead to a higher risk of tooth decay or gum disease.
Underbite
An underbite is when you close your mouth, and your lower front teeth are in front of your upper teeth. In some cases, this is a problem with your lower jaw being larger than the upper jaw.
Overbite
The upper front teeth will overlap the bottom front teeth more than 2mm. A normal overlap is 1-2mm.
Crossbite
Think of the bite as a shoebox and its cover. The cover (upper teeth) should fit over the box (lower teeth). If the container were too big or the cover too small, the box would be outside the cover. The lower teeth would be outside of the upper teeth when biting down.
Malocclusion (Bad Bite)
Deep Bite
When biting down, the lower teeth are completely or mostly covered by the upper teeth so they are not visible when smiling.
Gaps between teeth
Gaps between teeth may cause food entrapment between the teeth, or may appear unaesthetic.
Open Bite
When biting down, some teeth touch, and others do not. An open bite increases the load and forces on the teeth touching, increasing wear and damage on the teeth that touch.
