Overbite
Overbite is almost always hereditary.
When describing the various types of occlusal problems, the overbite is one of the cases that, being mild, can be imperceptible to a poorly trained eye. This alteration occurs when the teeth of the upper arch are far in front of the lower ones, partially or totally covering them depending on the severity of the case.
It usually occurs from a class II malocclusion; in which the maxilla is more advanced in relation to the mandible.
The overbite is almost always hereditary; However, in addition to genetic factors, there are certain habits that can influence its appearance, including prolonged use of the pacifier or bottle, thumb sucking and the game of “pushing” the teeth with the tongue during the first years of childhood. or already in adulthood due to stress. The overbite patient may have their physical appearance affected with protruding teeth (also called “rabbit teeth”) and even have a hiss when speaking. Pain when chewing or injuries to the mouth and gums from teeth rubbing are other possible consequences
Among the treatment alternatives that exist for this type of malocclusion, the first and most effective option is early intervention. During childhood, interceptive orthodontics has the advantage of being able to correct and guide the development of the still growing jaw bones, which is not possible after 11-12 years. From this age and even in adults, the most common is the use of traditional orthodontics with “brackets”, which focus only on correcting the position of the teeth.
Your specialist may identify a very narrow upper jaw.
Similarly, modern orthodontic systems with invisible aligners such as Invisalign they are also effective in treating this type of problem.
Sometimes it is necessary to perform some extraction to open space for orthodontic work since crowding (another related problem) presents a certain frequency among patients with an overbite. Your specialist may identify a very narrow upper jaw; In these cases, an expander must be used in parallel to expand the space and ensure that all the teeth can be located harmoniously.
After this, there are much more severe overbite cases in which the causes are skeletal and its solution requires orthognathic surgery. Adults (who no longer have the possibility of applying interceptive orthodontics) must resort to surgical procedures to correct the jaw bones; in the specific case of the overbite, “trim” the upper jaw or move the mandible forward. This procedure must be accompanied by orthodontic treatment (braces or aligners) for best results.
Finally, when any of the treatments indicated to correct the problem have been completed, it is important to continue making periodic visits to your orthodontist and comply with the use of retainers for as long as he indicates them. With this you will achieve definitive results, satisfaction for the achievement achieved and also a beautiful smile.
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