Are you concerned about your own overbite or your child’s overbite? Overbites, depending on severity, can affect facial appearance, chewing, speaking and oral hygiene. Here at Valderrama Orthodontics, we can successfully correct overbites with braces and other orthodontic treatments so that you can be proud of your smile.

Overbites

Overbites occur when the front teeth jut past the lower teeth when you close your mouth. Most people have overbites. However, some overbites are so slight that only a dentist can diagnose it. Overbites can be caused by a forward protrusion of the upper teeth, a problem with lower jaw development or from heredity. Bad habits can also contribute to the development of overbites in children and adults. Bad habits that contribute to overbites in children include thumb sucking and bottle feeding past normal bottle feeding ages. Bad habits that contribute to overbites in teenagers and adults include chewing on items that aren’t food, like pencils, pens and your own fingernails.

Signs, Symptoms and Risks of an Overbite

If you have an overbite, you may also have some of the signs and symptoms. If you do, you may want to consult with our orthodontist to determine the best treatment methods.

• It’s difficult to completely clean the teeth.
• Proper chewing is difficult.
• Speech is being affected.
• Self-Esteem and confidence may be negatively affected.
• The facial appearance Is affected.
• The front teeth protrude out farther than the lower teeth.
• The individual experiences jaw or mouth muscle pain.
• The individual experiences frequent jaw strain.

Diagnosing an Overbite

Both children and adults can have overbites of varying degrees. If you can see your overbite or think you have an overbite, it is best to visit our orthodontist in Melbourne for a proper treatment plan. Diagnosing an overbite and its severity involves taking digital x-rays of the jaw and teeth and performing an examination of the mouth, jaw and teeth. Minor overbites that do not affect speech, chewing or cleaning your teeth and do not cause you pain may not need to be corrected. However, moderate to severe overbites should be corrected, especially if your facial appearance is affected and you have difficulty chewing or speaking.

Correcting Overbites with our Orthodontist in Melbourne

Our orthodontist in Melbourne, Dr. Valderrama, has experience correcting overbites in children, teens and adults. In children, we typically recommend they get examined for bite problems, including overbites, by the age of seven. Early diagnosis and treatment for overbites while your child is still developing can help avoid the need for surgery and other potentially uncomfortable procedures in the teen and adult years.

Mild to moderate overbites that are only the result of forward-protruding teeth or minor jaw problems can usually be corrected with traditional braces, lingual braces or aligners, depending on the severity of the overbite. Braces, including metal and clear, and aligners are typically worn for between 12 and 18 months but usually no longer than two years. Your length of treatment and the type of braces used will depend on the severity of your overbite.

 

The added benefit of using braces to correct overbites is that the teeth are also straightened, which gives you or your child a beautiful smile that they can be proud to show off. After overbite correction and teeth straightening with braces, your child will need to wear a retainer for a certain amount of time to ensure the teeth do not shift back to their original places.

 

In severe cases, jaw surgery may be needed to correct the overbite. This surgery involves moving the lower jaw forward in order to properly align the upper and lower teeth. This can help fix the bite problem and appearance problems that are the result of an overbite. Our orthodontist can refer you to an oral surgeon if your overbite is severe, and she can perform all your follow-up treatments after the surgery to ensure that you have a properly aligned jaw and straight teeth.

 

To schedule your first visit with our orthodontist in Melbourne, call us at 321-425-5050.