Underbite looks like a bad problem in the community, endangers oral health, and drastically increases dental costs. In this article, we will fully acquaint you with this problem and the difference between mild and severe underbite, and we will tell you what causes this and how you should treat it with orthodontics.
What is underbite?
A dental underbite is one of the major structural problems in the jawbones and teeth in humans. It is a condition in which the patient’s lower or lower jaw is in front of the upper jaw. In other words, the mandibular teeth are ahead of the maxillary teeth. Even if the underbite is mild, we still classify it as a Class 3 malocclusion.
What Is the Cause of Underbite?
Why does such a problem occur?
Many reasons can cause the lower jaw to be in front of the upper jaw. But some of the most important causes of this complication are:
1. Bad and Unhealthy Childhood Habits
It may cause tooth underbite in childhood due to following or insisting on certain habits. For example, the following can play a direct role in the development of this complication:
- Thumb sucking
- Pressing the tongue to the teeth of the mandible
- Excessive use of pacifiers after the age of 3
- Bottle feeding after infancy
- Improper swallowing reflux
2. Genetics
Most of the time, almost 90% of underbite cases are due to genetic and hereditary issues. If only one person in your family was born with the condition, you may have the same problem or pass it on to your offspring.
Because genetics determine the shape and size of your teeth and jaw, the problems that naturally occur in your family can pass on to you and your children. Therefore, the main cause of tooth underbite can be genetic.
3. Trauma and Acute Injury
If there is severe damage to your face or jaw, it can lead to severe damage to your jaw. In this situation, the position of the jaw or teeth may change. And for example, the upper jaw goes back a little, or the lower jaw comes forward. You can often repair the damage to the jaw and move it very quickly, but sometimes the jaws do not heal completely after injuries or even surgery.
4. Tumour
Tumours in the human jaw or mouth can disrupt the position of teeth and cause them to tilt. Tumours can sometimes cause one of the jaws to protrude. If the tumour is functioning so that the lower jaw is in front, then we say you have an underbite.
Therefore, in general, the following causes an underbite:
• Unhealthy childhood habits like thumb sucking
• Genetics
• Acute injury and trauma
• And tumour
Different Types of Underbite
1. Mild Underbite
We did explain the general definition of underbite in the previous paragraph. Still, the severity and extent of this jawbone deviation are not the same in all people with this problem. The rate of deviation of the jawbone is severe in some people and mild in some people, which makes us divide this problem into two types mild and severe underbite.
Sometimes, there may not be a skeletal issue in mild cases but more a dental issue where the lower teeth are flared out to the lip more than the upper teeth. Most people with mild underbite do not have a problem with this type of jaw deviation and continue their daily life without treatment and have no particular problem eating and talking. The most common and most practical treatment for mild underbite is orthodontics.
“Mild underbite can present as looking like the upper front teeth, and lower front teeth are in edge-to-edge contact.” In contrast, “a severe underbite is when the lower jaw shifts so far forward that the lower front teeth almost overlap on top of the upper front teeth.”
2. Severe Underbite
But in the case of a severe underbite, it is not simply a mild form and, in some cases, requires serious treatment and even severe surgery. People with severe underbite even have difficulty with vital needs such as eating, drinking, and talking.
So, the treatment options for an underbite do vary according to the severity of the condition. In the following, we will refer to the types of treatments for underbite, and we will explain each of them separately:
QUALITY AFFORDABLE DENTAL IMPLANTS
Copperhills Family Dentistry specialists provide specialized dental services that help our patients cultivate healthy and happy smiles. We’re happy to provide compassionate care coupled with cutting-edge technology.
Dental ImplantTreatment of Underbite with Orthodontics
Underbite treatment with orthodontics is the first and most effective treatment for this complication. By treating this problem with the help of orthodontics, people will enjoy the following benefits:
- It makes it easier to clean your teeth
- Reduction of the risk of tooth decay
- Reduction of the risk of gum disease
- Treatment can relieve tension in the jaw and facial muscles
- Teeth are less likely to break
- It treats Temporomandibular joint dysfunction or TMJ
Whitening cosmetic
dentistry dental cleaning
and checkups
Treatment of Underbite with Fixed Orthodontics and other Orthodontic Appliances
Invisible Aligners
These are custom-made, clear plastic trays that you wear in your mouth for hours each day. You must wear each aligner for 1-2 weeks before moving to the next set until your alignment issue resolves. Braces can fix mild cases of underbite with the following options:
Braces
Metal braces are the traditional corrective method for teeth and jaw misalignment. They’re composed of brackets and wires. If you are looking for less visible options, you might be able to choose ceramic or lingual braces.
Braces are probably the best option for treating tooth underbite. Please only go to an orthodontist or a specialized clinic to be treated because counterfeit braces and inexperienced professionals can not completely solve your problem.
- The only way to treat dental underbite is to see a dentist, usually an orthodontist or oral surgeon. Unfortunately, this complication is not something that can be corrected with removable orthodontics such as Invisalign or Invisalign.
- In cases where the underbite problem is mild, a dentist can use wire or plastic braces to move the teeth to the correct places.
- If the teeth are too crowded or have crowding and crowding to correct the teeth, the orthodontist can pull out a few teeth to make room for other teeth and jaws to flatten.
Surgical Treatment to Correct Underbite Cases
In severe underbite cases, there may be a need for surgical treatment in conjunction with braces:
Sometimes, surgery is involved in helping bring the lower jaw back into a more acceptable position, and then braces are placed to help the teeth get into better alignment. In very severe cases, sometimes surgery is the only form of treatment that can help bring the jaw into proper position,” Kitzmiller explains.
Surgery
Most oral surgeons can correct underbite teeth through surgery without any problems. When we correct this problem through surgery, we say that the person has undergone jaw surgery. In this operation, the jaw surgeon usually corrects the shape of the jaw by cutting the jawbone, wires and plates or orthopedic screws.
Jaw Surgery Has Potential Risks
Just like any other surgery, jaw surgery has many risks. Therefore, performing oral surgery.
Treating dental underbite is not without complications, and a person may not have a very easy recovery period.
The Recovery Period after Jaw Surgery
After surgery, full recovery takes 1 to 3 weeks, after which you may need some orthodontic treatment afterwards (such as braces or retainers).
3 Ways to Fix an Underbite
- Ask your orthodontist about braces.
- Talk to your dentist about tooth extractions.
- Look into an upper jaw expander.
