Orthodontic Problems

Overcrowding
Overcrowding is the most common cause of teeth not fitting together properly; this generally results in overlapping teeth becoming rotated and generally crooked alignment.  Mild crowding can be corrected quickly and effectively without extracting teeth.

Overjet
Overjet is the second most frequent situation we encounter and this is noticed by the patient as their upper teeth being very prominent and often, there is no contact between the top and bottom front teeth.  If young children are being teased for having ‘buck teeth’, there is a very effective treatment to correct this even before the permanent teeth have erupted.  If a smaller lower jaw is partly to blame it is advisable to come in and have a functional appliance fitted to improve the co-ordination between the top and bottom jaws whilst the patient is actively growing.

Overbite
Overbite is the amount that our top and bottom teeth vertically overlap.  In an ideal bite the upper teeth should cover the bottom teeth by 30-40%. We sometimes see cases where the lower teeth are completely hidden by the upper teeth when the patient bites together.  This deep overbite is difficult to correct in a fully grown adult, but it is very easy to treat when a patient is young and actively growing. Prompt referral is indicated in these situations.  Occasionally a deep overbite can result in gum problems as the edges of the lower front teeth injure the gum on the upper palate, again this is something that is best treated sooner rather than later.

Openbite
The complete other end of the spectrum is where we have an openbite, commonly associated with thumb sucking which results in vertical separation of the upper and lower front teeth. People may feel as your mouth is never fully closed as there is always space between the teeth. Sometimes lisps can cause this as it can be related to tongue movement.  Genetic cases associated with jaws not being fully co-ordinated can also result in an openbite.

Crossbite
Crossbite is where the lower teeth do not fit entirely inside the arch of the upper teeth.  This can result from crowding or delayed loss of baby teeth or can be due to the shape of the jaws. Sometimes the crossbite can lead to attrition of the edges of the teeth which result in the teeth becoming shorter over time. Occasionally with a crossbite when the patient closes the teeth together it is difficult to establish a final closing position and the lower jaw can slide to the left or right in order to maximise tooth contact. When there is such a displacement associated with such a crossbite it is important to treat early to prevent excessive forces building up on the jaw joint.

Underbite
Sometimes the entire lower jaw is forward positioned relative to the upper jaw and this is sometimes known as an underbite.  Generally this is associated with a significant mismatch with the size of the upper and lower jaw. There tends to be a genetic tendency in families.  Severe cases cannot be treated successfully until the lower jaw has stopped growing in the late teens.  Certain cases can be treated at a younger age if it is not a significant jaw problem.

Spacing
Spacing is the exact opposite of crowding and is not such a common occurrence. It tends to be genetic but can also be associated with thumb sucking or a large fraenum between the two upper front teeth.  Some spacing is physiological which means that it is transient and as the side teeth develop and grow between the ages of 10-12, the  four front teeth move closer without any intervention.

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