Classification of Dental Problems

Crossbite

A crossbite can occur in the front and/or the sides of the mouth. One or more upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth. This can occur with a single tooth or multiple teeth. Early correction of crossbite is recommended.

Crossbites should be corrected because it may:

How can a crossbite be corrected?  If there is a single tooth crossbite, the tooth can be moved with braces into the correct position. In some cases, a retainer can be utilized. With multiple teeth in crossbite, the jaw needs to be expanded with braces or other intra-oral appliances (example: Rapid Palatal Expander).

Openbite

Openbite is an insufficient vertical overlap of the teeth. It is caused by oral habits such as tongue thrust, digit sucking or when the jaws don't grow evenly. Timing of treatment is critical to the overall success of the therapy.

An open bite should be corrected because it may:

• cause premature wear of the posterior (back) teeth          
  
• promote a habitual forward placement of the tongue
• cause dysfunctional chewing patterns
• make your smile lesss attractive

How can an openbite be corrected?  Openbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws using braces, extrusion of the front/anterior teeth, preventing extrusion of the back/posterior teeth and in some cases surgical correction of the jaws. Also breaking oral habits, such as thumb/finger sucking, will facilitate the correction of an openbite.

Overbite
Class II Overbite

Overbite occurs when the upper front teeth protrude vertically over the lower front teeth. Generally there is no contact between the upper and lower front teeth. Often you cannot see the lower incisors. Overbite is due to a disproportionate amount of eruption of front teeth or over development of the bone that supports the teeth and a front to back discrepancy in the growth of the upper or lower jaw (Class II Relationship). Overbite is also known as a deep bite.

Overbite should be corrected because it may:

• cause improper functioning of your front teeth
• result in the lower front teeth biting into the gum tissue of the upper palate leading to gum tissue problems
• cause unusual wear of the lower front teeth                   
  
• restrain growth of the lower jaw
• cause jaw or joint problems
• contribute to crowding of the lower front teeth
• make your smile less attractive

How can an overbite be corrected?

Overbite can be corrected through moving the front teeth up and/or bringing the back teeth together, which will "open" the bite so the teeth are properly aligned and the deep bite is eliminated.

Overjet
Class II Overjet

Overjet is also known as protrusion. Visually, the lower teeth appear too far behind the upper front teeth. This can be caused by an improper alignment of the molars (Class II Relationship), a skeletal imbalance of the upper and lower jaw; flared upper incisors, missing lower teeth or a combination of all the above. In addition, oral habits such as thumb sucking, finger sucking or tongue thrusting can exacerbate the condition.

Overjet should be corrected because it can:

• make your front teeth more susceptible to trauma (chipped teeth, etc.)
• prevent proper functioning of the front teeth
• lead to premature wear of teeth
• make your smile less attractive

How can overjet be orthodontically corrected?

Overjet can be corrected through growth modification using a functional appliance, headgear, springs, and/or elastics to reduce the skeletal imbalance or extraction of teeth.

Underbite
Class III Underbite

The lower teeth protrude past the front teeth. An underbite is usually caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or a combination of the two (Class III Relationship). Underbite may also be caused by improper positioning of the upper and lower front teeth.

Underbite should be corrected because it can:

• prevent proper functioning of the front teeth or molars which can lead to premature wear of the teeth
• cause chewing or eating problems
• cause jaw or joint problems
• make your smile less attractive

How can an underbite be corrected?

Underbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws, extraction of teeth and in some cases, surgical correction of the jaws.

Impacted teeth

Impactions can be caused by improper positioning of the developing tooth bud. This can cause the tooth to fail to erupt into the mouth. Impactions can also be caused by early loss of primary teeth or crowding of teeth. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly impacted teeth. Canines and premolars can also be impacted.

This problem should be corrected because it can:

• cause damage to the root structure of adjacent teeth
• interfere with the sinus cavity
• leave unwanted spaces
• lead to improper functioning of the teeth
• cause premature wear of the teeth
• case asymmetric alignment of the teeth

Can impacted teeth be prevented?

An early screening of your child’s teeth by your General dentist, Pediatric Dentist or Orthodontist may reveal a tooth which is not erupting at all or is erupting into an unfavorable position. Initially it may be determined that removal of the corresponding primary (baby) teeth may help guide the permanent tooth in question into a more favorable position.

How can impacted teeth be corrected?

Correction of impacted teeth may involve a minor surgical procedure performed by an oral surgeon working closely with our practice. This will allow us to then guide eruption of the impacted tooth into proper position. Usually the impacted tooth is exposed by the Oral Surgeon and brought into the mouth by the Orthodontist over the course of a few months using orthodontic appliances.

Missing teeth

Missing teeth is the absence of a tooth or teeth that should normally be present. This can be caused by trauma or lack of development.

This problem should because it may:

• cause improper functioning of teeth
• cause premature wear of teeth
• cause asymmetric alignment of the teeth (malalignment)
• make your smile less attractive

How can missing teeth be corrected?

Depending upon the situation, the space can be closed with braces or opened for tooth replacement. A bridge or dental implants are restorative options if a space is created.

Crowding of the Teeth

Crowding is the lack of space for all the teeth to fit normally within the jaws. The teeth may be twisted or displaced. Crowding occurs when there is disharmony in the tooth to jaw size relationship or when the teeth are larger than the available space. Crowding can be caused by improper eruption of teeth and early or late loss of primary teeth.

Crowding should be corrected because it can:

• prevent proper cleaning of all the surfaces of your teeth
• lead to increased risk of dental decay
• increase the chances of gum disease
• prevent proper functioning of teeth
• make your smile less attractive

How can crowding be corrected?

Extra space can be created by expansion of the arches or extraction of teeth. Once space is created, braces will eliminate crowding and align the teeth. Correction of crowding can help prevent dental decay and periodontal disease by improving the ability to remove plaque from the teeth.

Spacing of the Teeth

Spacing (the opposite of crowding), is an excess of space for your teeth which results in gaps between your teeth. This generally occurs when the teeth are smaller than the available space. Spacing can also be caused by protrusive teeth, missing teeth, impacted teeth or abnormal tissue attachments to the gums.

Spacing should be corrected because it can:

• result in gum problems due to the lack of protection by the teeth ( example: food impaction)
• prevent proper functioning of the teeth
• make your smile less attractive

How can spacing of the teeth be corrected?

The spaces can be closed by moving the teeth together and properly aligning them within the arch using braces. If the spacing problem is minor enough, space closure may be accomplished with a retainer.