Bite Problems

Tooth and Jaw Disproportion and Bite Problems

 

The teeth, the bones keeping them, and the jaws are in some cases disproportionate vis-à-vis one another and thus lead to tooth and jaw disproportion or also known as bite problems. Bite, in this context also includes chewing and placing the teeth upon one another.

Such problems not only disrupt the appearance of the teeth but also bring about jaw discomfort, tooth attrition, and headache. Modern dentistry has been able to resolve this problem through different procedures and correct this proportion.

 

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These disproportions are caused by a variety of factors including hereditary grounds, premature extraction of teeth, bad oral habits such as sucking the fingers, chewing the nails, smoking pipes, and holding pencils/pens and other hard objects between the teeth. One of the consequences of bite problems is bruxism which in turn causes attrition of the tooth edge, jaw discomfort, and headache, if left unattended.

There are four major categories of bite problems that are dealt with in cosmetic dentistry. These include:

  1. Open bite

  2. Deep bite

  3. Cross bite

  4. Protrusion

 

Open Bite

An open bite is the condition in which there is a gap between the teeth of the lower and upper jaws although such a gap does not exist between the back teeth of the two jaws. Sucking fingers during childhood and hereditary reasons are among the causes of open bite which can be treated through maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, and restorative procedures such as composite fillings and porcelain laminates.

 

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Deep Bite

Deep bite is caused by the front teeth of the upper jaw being completely placed on the lower teeth. This gives the gums a closed appearance and an overall shorter face. To treat this condition, orthodontic procedures should be employed to open the bite followed by restorative measures in case the edge of the front teeth are damaged by attrition or fracture. If attrition of the back teeth has caused the bite to be closed, the chewing surface of the back teeth are restored by crowns or lab (onlay) fillings allowing the height of the face and teeth to return to its normal proportion.

 

Cross Bite

The front teeth of the upper jaw normally stand a little more forward than the lower jaw and their edge cover around 0.5 to 1 mm of the edge of the front teeth of the lower jaw. If this condition were reversed in one or all of the teeth, the patient would be suffering from cross bite which means one or all of the teeth of the upper jaw stand behind the teeth of the lower jaw. The lower jaw of the patient would seem more protruding than normal. The most convenient treatment for cross bite is orthodontics. In more severe cases, nonetheless, maxillofacial surgery is required to retreat the lower jaw. Cross bites caused by one tooth can sometimes be corrected through restorative procedures.

 

 

Protrusion

Protruded teeth emit a rabbitish or boarish appearance and even prevent the lips to be closed under more extended cases. Again, the most effective treatment plans for this case are orthodontics or maxillofacial surgery together with orthodontics in more severe cases. If the teeth have been extremely damaged or that they contain previous crowns and the patient is reluctant to undergo orthodontic treatment, the position of the tooth can be changed through capping so that it would look more retruded.

 

Treating Attrition and Fractures

Composites, porcelain laminates, and crowns (in very severe cases) are the treatment options for restoring tooth edges which have been subject to attrition and fractures.

 

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