Underbite affects 3% of people in the population. Underbites don’t always result in death or serious harm. However, they may affect a person’s ability to chew and digest food. You should take immediate action with an orthodontist in Lee’s Summit to correct an underbite. Underbites are common and are treatable.
Fortunately, there are a variety of options available to you. You can begin a better life by receiving treatment. This is a brief guide to treating an underbite.
The Essentials of a Reverse Bite
When the lower teeth are longer than the upper teeth, an underbite develops. Despite its slightness, an underbite gives the appearance of a bulldog.
Underbites are often inherited. Underbites are common in people whose lips and palates were cleft at birth. An underbite can result from injuries or thumb sucking, though these situations are uncommon.
A lot of people deal with minor underbite pain. On the other hand, severe underbites can make it difficult to speak and chew food. Pain in the mouth, face, and jaw can result from an underbite.
Record your symptoms before seeking treatment with an orthodontist in Lee’s Summit. You might have TMJ if you are experiencing excruciating jaw pain. You might have a tumor or a broken jawbone if you are experiencing facial pain.
Note the position of your jaw. You might have a misaligned jaw or crooked teeth. Additionally, observe how your tongue fits within your mouth. When you rest your tongue, it should come in contact with the roof of your mouth. Your underbite may enlarge if your tongue presses against your lower jaw.
Underbite Braces
The most popular orthodontic services in Lee’s Summit for and underbite is getting braces. They can straighten teeth that an underbite may have pushed around by adjusting the position of the jaw and teeth.
Underbite braces function in the same way as other braces. Certain dentists affix extra hardware to modify the alignment of your bite. To settle the lower jaw against the upper jaw, they fasten elastics to push it back.
An orthodontist in Lee’s Summit makes wiring adjustments based on movement of the jaw and teeth. To make sure that everything is proceeding as planned, they take dental impressions and X-rays. For adults, braces are the best non-surgical option. They offer a prompt fix, repairing an underbite in less than a year.
You must modify your consumption of food and beverages. Food that could get caught in your braces must be avoided. You must refrain from getting toothpaste and drinks on your braces.
Use Invisalign if you’d like invisible braces. While Invisalign in Lee’s Summit can be more costly than traditional braces, it provides an equally good outcome. More steps are needed in cases of underbite that are more severe.
Non-Surgical Treatment for Underbite
Numerous non-surgical treatments are available from an orthodontist in Lee’s Summit. For a long-term cure, you might require two or more treatments. When the upper jaw does not fully develop, a jaw expander can be helpful. A metal appliance is fitted by the dentist over the back teeth. By forcing the teeth out, the apparatus enlarges the palate and upper jaw.
Certain jaw expanders function similarly to removable retainers. Others need to be permanently fixed on the palate by the orthodontist in Lee’s Summit. Small children benefit most from jaw expanders with their orthodontic services in Lee’s Summit. Jaw expanders adapt to a child’s growth patterns because jawbones don’t fuse until a child is 12 or 13 years old.
For a year, jaw expanders are advised by an orthodontist in Lee’s Summit. Until their bones have fused, a patient might need to wear a retainer. A jaw expander is not the only piece of underbite headgear. The patient’s forehead is where the headgear rests. A dentist uses elastic bands to fasten the headgear and braces together.
Over time, the headgear adjusts the upper jaw into place. Chin cups are used by some headgear devices to align the lower jaw. Children ten years of age or younger are the best candidates for underbite headgear. Both during the day and at night, children can wear headgear. They can easily take off the headgear if they need to for a social gathering.
Treatment for Surgical Underbite
If conservative measures prove ineffective, underbite surgery is an option. The best option for an adult who doesn’t want braces is surgery. Your orthodontic services in Lee’s Summit may be able to extract a few teeth if the number of teeth in your upper jaw is excessive. For your braces to function properly, you might need to have teeth extracted.
Teeth are extracted quickly and frequently. An orthodontist in Lee’s Summit will administer a local anesthetic before twisting the tooth out of its socket.
Orthognathic surgery is a multidisciplinary field. It might be necessary for a dentist to realign your upper, lower, or both jaws. Small screws or plates will be inserted to make sure the bones don’t move back.
It might be necessary for a dentist to divide the back from the front of your jaw. It might be necessary for them to transfer material from another area of your body to add more bones. Over the course of a year, these kinds of operations might need several procedures.
Underbite surgery is a safe and efficient procedure. You can have to miss a few weeks of work, but you can be back at work in about a month. All incisions made during underbite surgery are made inside the mouth by a dentist, so scars are avoided.
Bite Back
An underbite has the power to make your jaw drop. However, orthodontic services in Lee’s Summit are available. You can correct your underbite today if you are aware of your options for treating it. You have an underbite if your lower teeth protrude over your upper teeth. Most people are able to tolerate small underbite pain. However, you ought to seek assistance if you have problems eating or jaw pain.
Adults frequently wear braces. Underbite headgear and jaw expanders are further options. Plate implantation and tooth extraction are included in corrective surgery.
At Lakewood Orthodontics, your orthodontist in Lee’s Summit, we appreciate the significance of a perfect smile and treat you like part of our family. Our objective is to provide beautiful, healthy smiles that will last a lifetime using cutting-edge orthodontic care in a fun, family-friendly environment. We offer various treatment options, including traditional braces, clear ceramic braces, hidden braces, and Invisalign to accommodate every individual’s needs and preferences.