Orthodontic Disorders in Need of Braces in Austin

Crossbite

Crossbite can occur in the front and/or the sides of the mouth: One or more upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth. This can occur with a single tooth or multiple teeth. Early correction of crossbite is recommended.

Crossbite should be corrected because it can:

• cause premature wear of the teeth
• cause gum disease including bone loss
• cause asymmetrical development of the jaws
• cause dysfunctional chewing patterns

How can a crossbite be orthodontically corrected?

If there is a single tooth crossbite, the tooth can be moved with braces into the correct position. In some cases, a retainer can be utilized. With multiple teeth in crossbite, the arch needs to be expanded with braces or other intra-oral appliances, such as a palatal expander.

Open bite

Open bite is an insufficient vertical overlap of the teeth. It is caused by oral habits such as tongue thrust/posturing, finger sucking or due to  the jaw growth pattern. Timing of treatment is critical to the overall success of the therapy.

How can an open bite be orthodontically corrected?

Open bite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws using braces, intrusion of the posterior teeth, extrusion of the anterior teeth and in some cases surgical correction of the jaws. Also breaking oral habits, such as finger sucking, will facilitate the correction of an open bite. Invisalign can also assist the improvement of open bites and is often Dr. St. Louis’ preferred method to help close open bites.

Overbite

Class II Overbite

Overbite occurs when the upper front teeth protrude over the lower front teeth. Generally there is no contact between the upper and lower front teeth. Often you cannot see the lower incisors. Overbite is due to a disproportionate amount of eruption of front teeth or over development of the bone that supports the teeth and a front to back discrepancy in the growth of the upper or lower jaw (Class II Relationship). Overbite is also known as a deep bite.

Overbite should be corrected because it can:

• cause improper functioning of your front teeth
• result in the lower front teeth biting into the gum tissue of the upper palate leading to tissue problems
• unusual wear of the lower front teeth
• cause jaw or joint problems
• make your smile less attractive

How can an overbite be orthodontically corrected?

Overbite can be corrected through moving the front teeth up and/or bringing the back teeth together, which will “open” the bite so the teeth are properly aligned and the deep bite is eliminated.

Overjet

Class II Overjet

Overjet is also known as protrusion. In this case, the lower teeth are too far behind the upper front teeth. This can be caused by an improper alignment of the molars (Class II Relationship), a skeletal imbalance of the upper and lower jaw; flared upper incisors, missing lower teeth or a combination of all the above. In addition, oral habits such as thumb sucking, finger sucking or tongue thrusting can exacerbate the condition.

Overjet should be corrected because it can:

• prevent proper functioning of the front teeth
• lead to premature wear
• make your smile less attractive

How can overjet be orthodontically corrected?

Overjet can be corrected through growth modification using a functional appliance and/or elastics to reduce the skeletal imbalance. In some situations, extraction of two upper bicuspids is another option if growth modification is not possible and the upper incisors are excessively flared. 

Underbite

Class III Underbite

The lower teeth protrude past the front teeth. An underbite is can be caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or a combination of the two (Class III Relationship). Underbite can also be caused by upper incisors that tilt backwards or lower front teeth flared too far forward.  It is strongly recommended that underbites be evaluated around age 7 as there are treatments that may not be as effective after age 10, once the upper jaw is past its major growth period.

Underbite should be corrected because it can:

• prevent proper functioning of the front teeth or molars which can lead to premature wear of the teeth
• cause chewing or eating problems
• cause jaw or joint problems
• make your smile less attractive

How can an underbite be orthodontically corrected?

Underbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws, extraction of teeth and in some cases, surgical correction of the jaws is required. Early evaluation, around age 7 years of age is recommended to determine the diagnosis and develop a treatment plan while growth modification is still possible. Reverse pull headgear can often help stimulate the growth of an undersized upper jaw and allow the upper front teeth to bite down ahead of the lower teeth.