All About Overbites and Their Treatments
Hi, I'm Dr. Samuel here at Montpelier Family Dentistry, LLC, and I'm here to answer the most commonly asked questions about overbites in hopes of giving you a better understanding of what that means and to help provide a little bit of knowledge about them.
What is an overbite, and how does it differ from a normal bite?
An overbite, I'll use this example, is when you have upper teeth that really overlap the lower teeth by a lot. Here, you can see there's barely any lower teeth showing. A lot of them are overlapped by the upper teeth. In a normal bite, you would have teeth that are more equal. So these teeth would probably end right in this area and not cover all the way down here. Maybe end up here a little bit.
What is the difference between an overbite and an overjet?
Overbite refers to how much the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. An overjet, and I'll turn the models, measures the space of how much your top teeth are flared out from your bottom teeth. So, from the front of your bottom teeth to the back of your top teeth.
How does an overbite compare to an underbite, and how are they treated differently?
An overbite is when your top teeth are overlapping your bottom teeth. An underbite is when your lower teeth are in front of your upper teeth. So it's two totally different things. An overbite can be treated with possibly regular braces or Invisalign. An underbite is a jaw problem, not only a tooth problem, and most likely would involve some type of surgery as well as braces or Invisalign.
How does an overbite affect a person's smile and side profile?
An overbite would affect your smile in that you're really not showing that many lower teeth when you smile. That's how it affects your smile. The side profile, not really a difference. You just have more overlap. It doesn't really affect your side profile like maybe another type of bite would.
What are the causes of an overbite and can it worsen over time?
It's just the way your teeth develop, how your bite was. Maybe it's genetic. Most bites are genetic, either from your parents or some relative. Can it worsen over time? Usually not. Your teeth are not going to keep growing longer over a period of time, but you may notice it more when smiling.
If you have some gaps, those might get bigger. People with a big overbite usually have what's called a gummy smile, where they show a lot of gum on the top because you're seeing more of the top teeth. That may be more noticeable to you.
What is considered a severe overbite and how does it impact oral health?
A severe overbite would be when mostly 100% of the teeth on the bottom are covered by your top teeth. Maybe those bottom teeth are not even meeting your top teeth. You might actually be biting the roof of your mouth with your bottom teeth. That's pretty extreme.
How does it impact oral health? It makes it possibly harder to clean and chew. Anything that affects your ability to clean your teeth is going to affect your oral health. If you're not able to chew your food properly, have more food stuck, or maybe favor one side versus the other, all these things can affect oral health.
What are the risks of leaving a severe overbite untreated?
If your bottom teeth are not even meeting your top teeth and you're only chewing on the roof of your mouth, then you could have sores. It could be difficult to chew. Leaving it untreated, you may just not like the way your teeth look, and functionally, it may be hard for you.
How can an overbite be corrected and what treatment options are available?
Overbites can be corrected by braces or Invisalign. Sometimes you can pair that with fixing the gummy part by doing some gum surgery if you have a gummy smile. These are all ways that can treat it. Braces, Invisalign, and seeing an orthodontist would be the first step of that as well.
Can Invisalign fix an overbite or are braces required?
It really depends on the situation. You really need to get evaluated by a dentist who knows enough about both options.
How long does it take to fix an overbite with braces or Invisalign?
Again, it depends on the case. It's really best to see an orthodontist or a dentist who is familiar with the treatment of both so they can give you a proper timeline.
How does overbite correction with braces work?
Basically, they're going to be moving these teeth upward by a little bit and possibly moving the lower teeth down by maybe a little bit, depending on what your situation is, to try to get less overlap.
Are there natural ways to fix an overbite without braces or surgery?
Unfortunately, there are not. Professional treatment is the only way to go.
When is overbite surgery necessary and what does the procedure involve?
That would really depend on the size and shape of your jaw and perhaps if you have a gummy smile, and that's the only thing that needs to be fixed. It really depends on each patient's situation. It would be best to get evaluated by a dentist or a specialist who knows that field very well so they can give you information specific to your situation.
What do overbite before and after results typically look like after treatment?
The patient may not show as much gum. Their face may look different, possibly younger. They may not look like they're smiling as big. Their smile may actually look more measured and balanced, and more equal between top and lower teeth.
If you’re looking for dental care you can trust, call us at (301) 812-4599 or email [email protected]. We’re here to help you have the smile you've always wanted!