A bite, in orthodontic terminology, is the alignment of the top and bottom rows of teeth when they are resting against each other. A crooked bite is the most common reason for people to need the assistance of a dentist. For one thing, a crooked bite does not look good. Moreover, bite irregularity can create issues in chewing and speaking, as well as create oral health problems (tooth loss or periodontal disease).
Bite irregularities are grouped into a number of types, and listed below are some examples.
1. Open bite. If one’s bottom and top rows of teeth do not meet when he or she bites down, the individual may have an open bite. Physiologically, the upper teeth exert a smaller amount of pressure than the lower teeth. With an open bite, the back teeth may be exposed to a bigger amount of pressure when chewing, which causes the premature deterioration of the back teeth.
2. Cross bite. With this kind of irregularity, the upper row of the teeth is set outside (or inside) the bottom row. This is the kind of crookedness that is commonly treated by orthodontists because the condition makes it difficult for a person to chew properly.
3. Under bite. This is recognizable through the protrusion of the lower teeth farther ahead of the top row of teeth.
4. Crowding. This misalignment can happen when the secondary teeth come out within a tiny space.
5. Gaps. Lost teeth and uncommonly tiny teeth could produce gap issues.
Several dental procedures could help fix bite misalignment issues.
Braces and retainers are 2 of the most known methods of repair. When fitted right, these devices apply an exact amount of pressure over a certain span of time to help teeth move to the appropriate position. In some situations, however, the teeth may have already set deep into the bone; an orthodontic surgeon might recommend surgery to correct issues like this.
