One or more of the upper teeth biting on the inside of the lower teeth characterizes a crossbite. Crossbite can occur in the front and/or the sides of the mouth. Early correction of crossbites is recommended.
Crossbites should be corrected because they can:
If there is a single tooth crossbite, braces or a retainer may be used to move it into the correct position. If multiple teeth are in crossbite, palate expander is normally required..
Inadequate vertical overlap of the front teeth characterizes an openbite. 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.
Openbite should be corrected because it can:
Openbite can be corrected through growth modification of the jaws; extrusion of the front teeth; and in some cases surgical correction of the jaws. Breaking oral habits such as digit sucking will facilitate the correction of an openbite and make the result more stable.
Overbite is a measure of the vertical overlap of the upper and lower front teeth. Excessive overbite may be caused by disproportionate eruption of front teeth, or over development of the bone that supports the teeth. Excessive overbite is commonly seen in conjunction with a Class II relationship (see below). Overbite is also known as a deep bite.
Overbite should be corrected because it can:
Overbite can be corrected through orthodontic leveling of the front and/or back teeth.
Overjet is measure of the horizontal relationship of the upper and lower front teeth. It is often called "buck teeth", and is commonly confused with overbite. Excessive overjet may be caused by improper alignment of the molars (Class II relationship); a skeletal imbalance of the upper and lower jaw(s); flared upper incisors; missing lower teeth; crowded or tipped back lower teeth, or a combination of all the above. In addition, oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking or tongue thrusting can exacerbate the condition.
Overjet should be corrected because it can:
The lower teeth biting in front of the upper teeth characterize an underbite. 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 can also be caused by tipped back upper incisors, flared lower incisors, missing upper teeth or a combination of all the above. Early correction of underbite is recommended.
Underbite should be corrected because it can:
Underbite can be corrected by growth modification of the jaws; extraction of teeth; and in some cases surgical movement of the jaws.
An impacted tooth is one that has failed to erupt normally into the mouth and remains partially or totally covered by the gums and/or bone. Impactions can be caused by improper position of the developing tooth bud, premature loss of primary teeth, and crowding. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly impacted teeth, but canines and premolars are also commonly impacted.
This problem should be corrected because it can:
Usually the impacted tooth is exposed and orthodontically moved into the correct position. Correction of impacted teeth often involves a minor surgical procedure performed by an oral surgeon working closely with our practice. This will allow us to guide the impacted tooth into the proper position.
Missing teeth can be the result of congenital absence (the tooth fails to develop), trauma, or dental extractions.
This problem should be corrected because it can:
Depending upon the situation, the space can be closed with braces or opened for tooth replacement. A bridge or dental implant is used to replace the missing tooth if a space is created.
Crowding is the lack of space for all the teeth to fit normally within the jaws. The teeth may be rotated 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 early or late loss of primary teeth, improper eruption of teeth, or a genetic imbalance between jaw and tooth size.
Crowding should be corrected because it can:
Extra space can be created by expansion of the arches or extraction of teeth. Once space is created, braces are used to 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, the opposite of crowding, is an excess of available space, resulting in gaps between the teeth. This generally occurs when the teeth are smaller than the available space. Protrusive teeth, missing or impacted teeth, or abnormal gum tissue attachments can also cause spacing.
Spacing should be corrected because it can:
Moving the teeth together and properly aligning them within the jaws can close the spaces.
Scarsdale Pediatric Dental
Address: 777 White Plains Rd. • SCARSDALE, NY 10583
Phone: 914-472-9090 • Fax: 914-472-2203
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