In dentistry, an underbite is when the lower jaw comes out too far in front of the upper jaw. This makes the lower jaw go over the upper teeth. Mild underbite: The lower jaw overlaps the upper jaw, but the teeth don’t meet because the gap is so big. Severe case: The teeth don’t meet because the gap is so big. Read more about straightened and transparent teeth.

What Causes an Underbite? | Types of Underbites | What issues does an underbite cause? | How to Treat an Underbite | Overbite Vs Underbite

What Causes an Underbite?

Normally, your upper teeth fit over your lower teeth. A pair of teeth should be able to fit together. However, there are many things that can lead to this. A few of them:

Genetics

If a member of your family has this condition, you are more likely to get it, too. When a person is born, their jaw and teeth are also determined by their genetics.

If this is the case, some people may be born with teeth that are close together, impacted, don’t grow all their teeth (hypodontia), are shaped weirdly, has overjet or don’t fit together.

Childhood Habits

Some habits that you did as a child can help you get an underbite. These are:

  • Use of a pacifier for children above three years old
  • Thumb sucking (can also cause tongue thrust.)
  • Nail biting
  • Long-term bottle-feeding
  • Bad oral hygiene habits (which also causes dental plaque and tooth decay)

Injury

Damage to the jawbones can be permanent-term if there are severe injuries. It’s usually possible to fix a broken jawbone, but the jaws usually don’t fit right even after surgery to move them.

Tumors

tumors in the jawbones or the mouth can make your jaws protrude, which can make your teeth look bad.

Learn about fix chipped tooth and gaps between teeth.

Types of Underbites

There are two types of underbites.

Dental underbites Are a misalignment of the teeth. They happen when a cross bite shows up in the front of the mouth instead of the sides. It looks like the teeth are a little bit forward, but the lower jaw doesn’t stick out.

Skeletal underbites It can happen because of a mishap in the jawbone Most of the time, it is because of the way the person was born.

What Issues Does an Underbite Cause?

A person who has an underbite is more than just a look. The American Dental Association (ADA) says that the more severe this condition is, the more likely it is to cause oral health problems, such as:

  • Difficulty speaking
  • Chewing foods can be a challenge
  • Mouth, and face pain due to malocclusion.
  • Sleep apnea
  • Prognathism
  • Unusual wear of the tooth enamel
  • Chronic mouth breathing and bad breath

When you have a noticeable underbite, your confidence will also be hurt.

How to Treat an Underbite

It is very common for the teeth to be a little out of place when at least most of the tooth eruption of the permanent teeth has taken place. However, there are some cases where the underbite is so bad that people who have it fixed will get more benefits than people who don’t have it fixed.Clinical medicine cannot treat underbite alone so, allow Summit Smiles to help correct your problems of an underbite.

Below are some of those benefits:

  • Your teeth is easier to clean than when you have underbite
  • Avoids the risk of diseases of the gums.
  • Reduce the risk of developing a dental abscess.
  • It will have less strain on the jaws, teeth, and facial muscles
  • It minimizes the risk of breaking a tooth or tooth loss
  • Decreases the chance of developing a temporomandibular joint disorder

The only way to treat this is to have it aligned by someone who knows how. An orthodontist is needed to fix this problem. Dr. Manali Patel can fix your underbite using any of the following treatments:

Braces – It is the most common type of orthodontics for people who have a bad bite. Dental braces are not hidden and can be seen when you talk or smile. Clear aligners help with this.

Appliances – Some appliances can be used to help with this. These are made to fit your mouth and can be uncomfortable because they are more noticeable than braces, which are made of metal. People who work with teeth and jaws recommend this therapy when it’s necessary.

This is an example of an orthodontic device: the reverse full facemask. An orthodontic headgear that wraps around your head is similar to this piece of hardware. These metal bands are put on your upper back teeth so the device can gently pull your upper jaw into the correct position. This is an example of an orthodontic device: the reverse full facemask. An orthodontic headgear that wraps around your head is similar to this piece of hardware. These metal bands are put on your upper back teeth so the device can gently pull your upper jaw into the correct position.

Another type of dental appliance is the upper jaw expander, which helps to move the upper jaw. The upper jaw expander fits over the upper jaw’s back teeth and has a screw in the middle. Make the upper jaw bigger by widening it, moving your teeth inside the bone, and widening your teeth. If there is a pathology of the maxilla and mandible, this might not be the case.

Tooth Extraction – Extracting a tooth can relieve crowding so that biting can come together more naturally.

Surgery – This should only be used if the orthodontist thinks that all other treatments won’t work. Sometimes, it happens, but surgery isn’t always needed to fix an underbite.

Some type of jaw surgery is orthognathic surgery, like when someone has their teeth moved. During this type of surgery, your jawbones are split apart and customized changes are made to your jaw alignment.

If you have cleft lip and cleft palate surgery may be performed first before treating your underbite. More about hidden bracket braces.

Overbite Vs Underbite

You have an overbite if your upper teeth are too close to your bottom teeth when your mouth is closed. If your lower jaw is shorter than your upper jaw, you are more likely to have this problem.

You have an underbite if your lower jaw is in front of your upper jaw when your mouth is closed. This is called an underbite. There are many ways to look like you have this condition, but if it’s more severe, it can make your chin look bigger. Contact us to schedule an appointment.