Underbites, Crossbites, Overbites - What's the Difference?

Did you know that malformations of your bite could affect your health? A misaligned bite may cause consequences on your breathing, speech, and even the way you eat. The problem is that many people don't even know that they have a misaligned bite. It's really difficult to notice that your bite is in the wrong place when it has been with you for your entire life. That's why today we share with you everything you need to know about underbites, crossbites, and overbites.

The Ideal Bite

In theory, the middle lines of your upper and lower front teeth should coincide. That middle line should also coincide with the centre-line of your face. All the teeth that appear when you smile should look in perfect balance with each other. Your upper front teeth should be covering a small fraction of your lower front teeth, not colliding. Also, your molars and premolars should fit perfectly when you close your mouth, letting you chew without problems.

Anyway, having the ideal bite is just for some lucky ones. Anyone else needs to make adjustments to have teeth in the right place. You may require a dental treatment when you have one of the following conditions.

Underbites

It occurs when the lower teeth protrude past the upper front teeth. This condition may be caused by an undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or even both. Besides being an aesthetic problem, underbites can cause tooth wear and pain in your jaw. If it's not treated, it can lead to speech and articulation problems.

Crossbites

Crossbites occur when one or more teeth are tilted toward the cheek or toward the tongue as compared to the tooth above it. This condition can happen on both the front and/or the sides of the mouth, causing upper teeth to bite on the inside of the lower teeth. Crossbites cause excessive stress on the jaw bone, wear of the teeth, gum disease, and bone loss.

Overbites

It is the complete opposite to the underbites. This condition occurs when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth more than 5 mm. It is the most common malocclusion and may cause difficulties while chewing, excessive stress on the jaw bone and wear of the jaw bone joints. Overbites can be caused by extensive pacifier use, thumb sucking and tongue thrusting at a young age.

How to Fix It

There are different ways to fix malformations in your bite. The first recommendation you will get is to get an orthodontic treatment. It is the best method to realign the teeth and get them to look great. Of course, there are people who don't want to use braces or palatal expanders. If you're suffering from any of the conditions described above, we invite you to visit your dentist and see if there is an option for you. Depending on the seriousness of your case, your dentist could recommend dental treatments that can give you a perfect bite in not a lot of time.

Sani Dental Group is the largest dental group in Los Algodones, and one of the largest in Mexico. We invite you to pay us a visit and let us check what can we do for your smile. Our dental clinics have more than 30 specialists ready to offer you the best service at an affordable price. For us, to give you the best results is our top priority, and we work hard to accomplish it. Give us a call and one of our patient coordinators will give you all the information you need. Don't hesitate and improve your smile today. Because when your smile shines, it lights up everything around.