Common Problems

Malocclusions: Malocclusions (bad bites) result from the jaw structure or the teeth not fitting together correctly. This can lead to a host of complications if not addressed.

Specific examples of malocclusions include:

Upper Front Teeth Protrusion: When the upper teeth are protruding, the function and appearance of your teeth can be drastically impacted by this kind of bite. The main characteristics are the lower teeth not extending far enough forward and the upper teeth extending too far forward.

Overbite: In an overbite situation, the upper front teeth extend out past the lower front teeth. This sometime causes the lower front teeth to bite uncomfortably into the roof of the mouth.

Cross-bite: A cross-bite is when the upper teeth sit inside of the lower teeth. This crooked alignment may lead to misaligned jaw growth and tooth stratification.

Open-bite: Correct chewing is greatly impacted by an open-bite. In this occurrence, the lower and upper front teeth do not overlap. Open-bite often can cause a variety of unwanted habits, such as tongue thrusting.

Other Common Problems

Crowding: When teeth have insufficient room to erupt from the gum, crowding occurs. Oftentimes, tooth removal can be avoided and crowding can be corrected by expansion. Sometimes however, it may be more beneficial to remove the teeth and apply an orthodontic appliance to help move the teeth into place.

Spacing: Spacing problems may be an aesthetic or cosmetic issue or it may be caused by missing teeth.

Dental Midlines Not Matched: When the back bite does not match and fit appropriately, this kind of problem can occur. It can negatively impact proper dental function and also affect jaw function.

Mission Creek Orthodontics

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