Common Bite Problems

If you jaws don’t line up, your teeth don’t close properly. The same is true if your teeth are turned, crowded, or missing.

Bite problems fall into three classes of malocclusions. Other bite problems can also occur, either on their own or along with a malocclusion.

Normal Bite With Crooked Teeth (Class I)
The jaws line up with each other, but the teeth don’t close right. This causes a dental malocclusion. The teeth may be too large, too small, trapped in the bone, or turned.

Overbite (Class II)
The upper jaw is too large and sticks out over the lower jaw. Or the lower jaw may be too small or too far back. This causes “buck teeth” or “rabbit teeth”. An overbite is most often caused by skeletal malocclusion.

Underbite (Class III)
The lower jaw is too large or too far forward. Or the upper jaw may be too small. Then the lower teeth close in front of the upper teeth. An underbite is most often caused by a skeletal malocclusion

Other Bite Problems

Open Bite
Some of the back teeth close properly, but the front teeth don’t meet. Thumb sucking and tongue forward posturing can cause an open bite

Closed (Deep) Bite
The upper teeth overlap the lower teeth too much. Then the lower front teeth can press into the roof of your mouth when you chew

Crossbite
Some upper teeth close inside the lower teeth. This happens if one jaw is too big or too small, or some teeth are not aligned right.

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