Posted by whybraces

Many people think that braces are only for straightening teeth. On the contrary, braces can also be used to realign teeth, correct a person’s bite and correct problems with a person’s jaw. There are a number of common teeth problems that could lead to a person needing braces. Here are a few of them:

Crowded Teeth: Often teeth become crowded because the patient’s mouth is simply not large enough to hold everything in place correctly. Because the dental arch is too small, the teeth move together until there is nowhere left to move but up or down. Teeth that are crowded into a person’s mouth might be thin or impacted. This can affect a person’s bite as well as his or her appearance. Often crowded teeth can be corrected with some teeth extractions as well as braces, to move everything into proper position.

An overbite is when the upper teeth extend too far out over the lower teeth. There is a noticeable gap between the upper and lower teeth when the person bites down. This can cause a person to injure his or her gums and the inside of lips. It can also cause a person’s mouth to become misshapen—the lips become pushed forward. Some people find that they are not able to close their lips completely over their teeth if the overbite is severe. Someone with a deep overbite can also be prone to bone damage and extreme discomfort. It can also cause too much wear and tear on the incisors.

Underbite: An underbite is the opposite of an overbite. With an underbite, the lower teeth extend in front of the upper teeth. It is usually caused by a lower jaw that is longer than the upper jaw. Underbites are rare and only affect between three and five percent of the population.

Crossbite: A crossbite is a condition in which some of the upper teeth bit down inside of the lower teeth while other teeth bite down correctly. People with a crossbite often have problems chewing and this bite is most often corrected with braces.

Open Bite: An open bite is where the lower and upper incisor teeth do not touch at all when the person bites down. This puts a lot of pressure on the back teeth to take care of the chewing and biting. A person with an open bite will often rub his or her teeth together without meaning to.

Space Problems: Sometimes a person might have teeth that are smaller than normal. Other times a person will lose important teeth (or they simply do not grow in). When these situations happen a person is at risk for spacing problems. This is when the teeth will spread out, often, because they can. The spaces between the teeth become too large and while the largest problem caused by space problems is cosmetic, sometimes people say they have trouble with biting and chewing correctly. Space problems are most often corrected with braces.

These are common teeth problems that are fixed with braces and other orthodontic devices (head gear, permanent retainers, etc). If you think you have any of these common teeth problems, make an appointment with your dentist to see if you might need orthodontic treatment.