There are many conditions that might motivate a person to seek help with their teeth. One common condition is an overbite. An overbite is when a person’s top front top teeth overlap their lower front teeth.
It’s very common for people to have overbites. In fact, many individuals have at least a slight overbite. In general, dentists and orthodontists use a percentage to describe overbites. While an overbite of five to 25 percent is considered best, some overbites don’t fall into that range. If an overbite is too big, it may be called a “deep bite.”
What Causes an Overbite?
An overbite is often the result of genetics. This means that you’re more likely to have an overbite if your family has a history of them. Overbites that are caused by genetics typically go hand in hand with a lower jaw that’s underdeveloped. Because the jaw is underdeveloped, it causes the upper jaw to jut forward as it relates to the person’s lower jaw.
Certain habits can also cause overbites. Prolific thumb sucking and pacifier or bottle use are behaviors that can produce an overbite. Habits like the ones just mentioned can actually cause a person’s jaw to change shape or they can push the individual’s teeth forward. Those behaviors may also cause a person’s teeth to become crooked.
Tongue thrust is another culprit that can cause an overbite. Tongue thrust is a swallowing reflex disorder in which a person’s tongue pushes against the individual’s upper teeth instead of their palate. This near-constant pressure against the person’s top teeth can cause them to move outward, which can produce an overbite.
The Potential Consequences of Having an Overbite
Although a slight overbite may have no consequences whatsoever or it may cause a person to feel slightly self-conscious, a more noticeable overbite has the potential to have consequences that are more serious. Here are just some of the possible consequences that a large overbite might cause:
- Oral health problems
- Jaw pain
- Enamel wear
- Aesthetic problems
- Gum irritation
- Uneven or unnatural wear on lower teeth
Have an Overbite? Invisalign Can Help
If you have a slight, moderate or large overbite, Invisalign can help. Invisalign treatment involves patients using Invisalign aligners that are custom-made for each individual patient. These transparent aligners gradually bring teeth into proper position to eliminate or reduce an overbite.
Invisalign treatment for an overbite often takes between 12 and 18 months in total. It’s important to note that actual treatment times will vary in accordance with the needs of individual patients and how often those people wear their aligners. This means your total treatment time may be different from someone else’s.
Clearsmile Orthodontics: Your Invisalign Specialist
If you’re looking for an Invisalign specialist who can treat your overbite, you’ve found the orthodontist you’ve been looking for. Dr. Colin Webb is the talented doctor behind Clearsmile Orthodontics, and he creates custom Invisalign treatment plans for patients with overbites on a regular, if not daily basis.
If you’re ready to correct your overbite, contact Clearsmile Orthodontics now to schedule a free consultation with your Invisalign specialist, Dr. Colin Webb.