It is important to have proper alignment and bite when it comes to a healthy smile. There are many bite issues that can affect your oral health as well as the appearance of your smile. However, there are many treatments that can be used to correct bite issues.

Bite issues are called malocclusions

And this is when your teeth are not properly positioned when your jaws are closed. Some common forms that bite issues can manifest are overbite, underbite, open bite, crossbite, crowding, overjet and spacing. Overbite is when the front teeth overlap the lower teeth when your mouth is closed and the opposite of this is the underbite. Sometimes a few upper teeth will sit inside the lower teeth which is called cross bite. If your upper and lower teeth don’t meet when your mouth is closed, this is called an open bite. There will be a gap formed between the lower and upper teeth. Sometimes there will not be sufficient space in your jaw for the teeth, causing crowding where some teeth can twist or overlap. If you have large gaps between teeth, this is called spacing. Overjet is called buck teeth as well and this is when the front teeth on your upper jaw protrude significantly over the lower teeth. If you have any of these bite issues, you can visit doncasterorthodontics.com.au to find out how an orthodontist can help you.   

Traditional braces

Can be used to correct bite issues and you can correct a range of issues from mild to severe. The length of the treatment can vary according to the severity of your issue and it can take anywhere between 1 to 3 years. While this is a very effective solution, these tend to be quite visible and it can be uncomfortable especially when it comes to cleaning your teeth. Clear aligners solve the issue of noticeability offering you a discreet solution to correct the alignment of your teeth. However, these can be used for mild to moderate issues only. For example, this can be used for spacing issues, crowding and overbite. The treatment durations generally tends to be shorter than traditional braces with the maximum reaching about 2 years. But you may not be able to use this treatment for severe cases.

You can also use lingual braces for underbites, crowding, overbites and other bite issues.

And the benefit of this over traditional braces is that they are not noticeable from the front because these braces are placed at the back of the teeth. However, it comes with some initial discomfort and higher cost. For situations where there are severe bite issues, the orthodontist may recommend surgery. Here, the jaw will be repositioned in order to align it properly. If you have severe misalignment of the haw, overbite or underbite, this will be a treatment options considered. But you will need to continue post-surgical orthodontic treatment which will along with the surgery contribute to a longer treatment period.