Dealing with an overbite or underbite, two types of common and frustrating malocclusions, is more than a matter of being frustrated you’re your appearance.
Overbites and underbites are diagnosable conditions that can cause very real jaw pain, not to mention other complications like speech challenges or even, in some cases, breathing issues.
So, how do you cure an overbite or underbite, you may wonder, and are braces truly the answer? Let’s explore!
Why Should I Fix My Overbite?
Overbites can result in some of the following issues, as the Cleveland Clinic notes:
- Tooth erosion (excessive wear and tear).
- Breathing issues.
- Pain while chewing.
- Gum disease.
- Jaw pain.
- Temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
- Cavities.
- Speech challenges.
Why Should I Fix My Underbite?
Underbites can result in some of the following issues, as the Cleveland Clinic emphasizes:
- Trouble opening or closing your mouth all the way.
- Discomfort or pain while speaking or chewing.
- Biting the inside of your mouth.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Jaw pain.
- Bad breath (halitosis).
Can Braces Fix an Underbite or Overbite?
Yes!
Many parents come to us at The Super Dentists wondering if braces will fix their child’s overbite or underbite, and the answer is most definitely!
But just as many adults who never had any type of orthodontic work come to us wondering if braces can fix an overbite in adults.
Absolutely!
While other courses of treatments, such as headgear and palette expanders do exist, braces are one of the most common and effective methods of treatment for both overbites and underbites in both children and adults.
How Braces Fix an Overbite or Underbite
There are a variety of dental issues that braces can fix, from realigning teeth that are crooked to improving speech to realigning a misaligned jaw.
As the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) notes, addressing misalignment issues or discrepancies between the upper and lower jaws “is particularly important for individuals with skeletal malocclusions or jaw growth abnormalities”. These, of course, include both overbites and underbites.
Here’s how it works in a nutshell, per the AAO: “By guiding the growth of the jaws, braces can help achieve proper alignment and balance between the upper and lower teeth.”
But just how involved is fixing an overbite or underbite? Here’s what the process usually looks like:
- Diagnosis: You will need to be diagnosed with an overbite or underbite by a qualified dentist or orthodontist.
- Treatment Consultation: Once diagnosed, you will talk to your orthodontist about your treatment options.
- Application of Braces: If braces are chosen as the treatment method, you will have to get them installed. This will likely take up to a couple of hours.
- Regular Checkups & Adjustments: Your orthodontist will have to adjust or “tighten” your braces regularly to ensure that your teeth and jaw have adequate levels of pressure applied to them in order to guide the growth of the jaws properly. With overbites and underbites, elastics are usually used to bring the top and bottom jaws closer to each other/into alignment. If you don’t wear your elastics, your overbite/underbite will not have the chance to correct.
- Removal of Braces: Once your jaw is properly aligned, which usually takes a period of years, the braces are removed.
- Jaw Repositioning: In some cases, where braces aren’t sufficient, other appliances, like headgear, might have to be worn. In rarer cases of severe misalignment, jaw surgery may be required. But in most cases, this step is unnecessary.
Can You Fix an Overbite Without Braces?
Sometimes, people wonder how to fix an overbite naturally, or if there is even a way to do so. The honest answer? It depends.
There are a number of devices that may work to correct you or your child’s overbite or underbite depending on the circumstances and severity, including:
- Herbst appliances or MARA appliances
- Rapid palatal expanders (RPEs)
- Lingual arches
- Twin blocks
- Elastics (used on braces)
Learn About Your Options for Jaw Alignment
Wondering what your treatment options for an overbite or underbite are?
At The Super Dentists, Dr. Hoss and our team of orthodontic experts are here to help make treating your dental issues easy, stress-free, and, dare we say FUN!
If you’re looking for more content about malocclusions or braces, we encourage you to check out our patient resources page or head over to our blog, both of which are filled with a ton of informative resources designed to take the guesswork out of dentistry and orthodontics.
Meanwhile, if you’d like a further diagnosis for yourself or your little one, we invite you to schedule a new patient ortho exam now. That is, by and large, the best way for you to get an exact assessment of what may be going on in your mouth and how we might be able to treat it!
