Understanding an overbite is crucial for maintaining good oral health.
This dental condition, often overlooked, can lead to many complications when you leave it untreated.
An overbite, when the upper front teeth overlap the lower teeth excessively, is a very common occurrence for Americans today.
The causes range from genetics to childhood habits like thumb-sucking and incorrect swallowing patterns.
In this guide, you’ll get answers to all of your overbite-related questions – including what to do about severe overbite – plus a reliable solution for overbite treatment located right here in Greater Phoenix.
Get Free ConsultationWhat is an Overbite?
An overbite is a common dental issue where the upper front teeth extend too far beyond the lower jaw (bottom teeth), resulting in an overlap. It is often also referred to as buck teeth or deep bite. This condition can lead to several oral health complications if left untreated.
In a normal bite, your upper front teeth slightly overlap with your bottom ones when you close your jaws together. However, in cases of an overbite, this natural overlapping becomes exaggerated and problematic, resulting in what we call malocclusion or misalignment.
Types of Overbite
Overbites come primarily in two forms: skeletal and dental:
- A skeletal overbite happens when there is a physical discrepancy between the sizes or positions of your jaws – where one is larger than expected while the other is positioned more forward than usual.
- A dental overbite occurs from specific behaviors like thumb sucking, affecting tooth positioning but not necessarily impacting the actual jaw alignment structure itself.
Causes of Overbite
Several factors can lead to overbite, where the upper teeth significantly overlap the lower bottom teeth.
Genetic Factors – The structure and size of your jaw are primarily determined by genetics. If there’s an excessive overbite in your family history, you might be more prone to developing one too. When the upper jaw and lower jaw don’t line up properly, it often results in top teeth overlapping bottom teeth excessively – creating what we know as an “overjet” or “deep overbite.”
Habits from Childhood – Certain childhood habits like thumb sucking or prolonged use of pacifiers beyond the baby teeth stage can contribute to the development of buck-teeth type overbites. These activities exert pressure on front-facing upper and lower teeth, pushing them outwards.
Poor Oral Habits – Poor oral behaviors like tongue thrust (where, during swallowing, your tongue pushes against the back portion of your mouth) could potentially cause jaw alignment problems leading to the formation of anywhere from a slight overbite to a severe one.
Key Takeaway:
Overbites can be chalked up to a variety of causes. No matter your age or background, these universal culprits can lead to an overbite before you know it.
Get Free ConsultationOverbite Symptoms
An overbite manifests has several common signs and symptoms. Recognizing these indicators early can lead to timely intervention – and save you a lot of discomfort and extra costs.
Trouble with Biting and Chewing
The most prominent symptom of an excessive overbite is difficulty biting into food or chewing it properly. When the upper jaw significantly overlaps the lower one, your top teeth may not meet your bottom ones correctly when you close your mouth, leading to challenges while eating.
Jaw Pain
In some instances, untreated overbites could result in chronic jaw pain. The misalignment places extra strain on the muscles surrounding the jaw, resulting in discomfort that might even extend to headaches or earaches.
Speech Impediments
A lesser-known effect of having an overbite is its potential impact on speech clarity. Severe cases could cause lisping due to difficulties with tongue placement while talking.
If jaw alignment is off, this problem becomes more apparent.
Aesthetic Concerns
Beyond physical discomfort and functional problems associated with tooth decay, another issue commonly shared by individuals who suffer from overbite with their front teeth are aesthetic concerns about their appearance.
They report their current smile affecting self-confidence levels. This shows just how important treating such conditions can be both physically but also psychologically for those affected by them.
Remember: Early recognition aids prompt treatment, avoiding further complications down the line, including possible damage done to gums, roots, teeth, and an increased risk of cavities.
Key Takeaway:
Overbites, or deep bites, can cause difficulty eating, jaw pain, speech issues and aesthetic concerns. Early detection aids in timely treatment to avoid complications like gum damage and cavities. Treatment options include braces and Invisalign clear aligners for correcting jaw alignment problems.
How to Correct Overbite
Left unattended, overbite can cause a variety of dental issues like gum disease, tooth decay, jaw tension, and more jaw problems. If you’re ready to own your best smile and have a healthy bite, here are options for how to correct an overbite:
1. Get a consultation from an experienced orthodontist near you.
If you’re ready to fix an overbite, the first step is to seek the insight of an overbite expert near you. A professional will help you to diagnose the reasons for your bad bite and which teeth are impacted – front teeth only, front teeth and back teeth, etc.
The right next step to fix an overbite can also depend on how many baby teeth vs. adult teeth (i.e. permanent teeth) the patient currently has.
If you are missing teeth due to an accident or some other reason, the best orthodontists in Phoenix will give you the right insight on how your overbite affect the remaining teeth – and what to do about it.
An expert orthodontist knows what to look for, how to diagnose your overbite and the best, least invasive way for you to pursue overbite treatment.
All of these are reasons why you should seek the consultation of an experienced orthodontist near you as your first step before making a decision on how to pursue treatment on your own.
We believe everyone deserves to get expert advice for their teeth so deeply that we’ve made initial consultations at all our locations in Phoenix entirely free to you. (Phoenix/Paradise Valley, Peoria & Arrowhead, Scottsdale, and Chandler.)
Get Free Consultation2. Seek all options to correct an overbite before pursuing jaw surgery.
If you receive advice that surgery is your only option to correct untreated overbite, we really encourage you to seek a second opinion before proceeding.
It may very well be the case that you require surgery in the end, however, surgery on your jaw and teeth is seriously invasive and can cause long-term harm that is even more difficult for you to solve.
Unfortunately, we’ve often seen situations where many patients were advised that surgery was their only option for overbite correction, when in reality, their case was completely treatable by us with standard, non-invasive orthodontic treatment – like braces or clear aligners.
Get Free Consultation3. Get a personalized treatment plan to correct dental overbite.
At the best general dentists and orthodontists in Phoenix, it is completely possible today for you to receive exceptional overbite correction for even most cases of severe overbite.
These practices will give you patient insight into your treatment options and a treatment plan that fits your needs and budget.
Some, like us at Dickerson Orthodontics, go beyond even that – providing you with flexible payment options, unbiased treatment advice (because we offer both traditional braces & clear aligners), and far fewer appointments.
Get Free ConsultationTreatment Options for Overbite
Overbites, whether mild or severe, can lead to dental problems like tooth decay and jaw pain. The good news is that there are a number of successful treatment options accessible to you.
Traditional Braces: The Classic Way to Fix an Overbite
Orthodontic braces have traditionally been used to correct every kind of overbite, including excessive overbite. These devices exert gentle pressure on your upper teeth and upper jaw, gradually moving them into their proper positions.
Braces have proven highly successful as a form of orthodontic treatment but often require wearing metal brackets and wires for 1-3 years (the average treatment time is currently about 2 years!).
At Dickerson Orthodontics, we’ll help you fix your bad bite and own your best proper bite up to 2x faster.
Get Free ConsultationInvisalign Clear Aligners: For Even Severe Overbite
Invisalign, a clear alternative to traditional braces, has shown promising results in treating overbites. Today, in the hands of an expert, Invisalign can treat even severe cases of overbite.
The Invisalign system uses custom-made clear aligners that fit perfectly onto each patient’s unique mouth structure. The custom design makes it easier for patients to avoid potential discomfort from wires or brackets associated with regular braces.
Even better, Invisalign aligners are removable, which makes it much easier for you to properly clean your teeth during treatment and maintain good oral hygiene.
At Dickerson Orthodontics, Invisalign treatment for overbite can be up to 2x faster than average treatment elsewhere in Phoenix. Avoid the downsides of excessive wear and untreated overbite with a free consultation today.
Get Free ConsultationJaw Surgery: For Only More Severe Overbite
Consultation with an experienced oral surgeon may become necessary, but you should consider this as a last resort. Such surgeries typically involve repositioning either one or both jaws, and they are generally considered when all other options prove ineffective.
If non-surgical methods fail to fix a significant untreated overbite problem because it’s related more to skeletal issues than just crooked teeth, surgery might be required, but we really encourage you to pursue all other options first. For your own benefit.
Preventing Overbite & Jaw Problems With Healthy Teeth
Besides medical interventions, lifestyle modifications can play a significant role, especially among children whose jaws are still developing. Discouraging habits such as thumb sucking beyond the baby teeth stage could help prevent further worsening of buck-teeth and deep bite issues caused by this practice.
If your child is over the age of 7 and has yet to see a pediatric orthodontist, we can help you prevent issues before they start and end up costing you a lot of money and your child a lot of discomfort.
Get Free ConsultationBenefits of Treating Overbite
The decision to treat an overbite goes beyond aesthetic appeal. The impacts are far-reaching and touch overall oral health and quality of life in many ways.
What You Gain: Healthy Teeth, Self-Confidence & More
There are many benefits you gain from treating overbite:
- Healthy top and bottom teeth.
- Your best smile with straight front teeth that don’t overlap.
- Aligning your jaw to its correct position and ideal facial structure.
- For many patients, improved self-confidence.
What You Avoid: Gum Disease, Tooth Decay, Jaw Problems & More
There are many advantages of treating overbite in terms of what you avoid, too, and these are possibly even more important:
- Gum disease and tooth decay.
- Jaw problems, jaw pain, and other issues from poor alignment.
- Possible temporomandibular joint issues.
- Speech problems.
- In extreme cases, sleep apnea.
- The risk of your overbite getting worse visually.
- Your untreated overbite requiring surgery in the future.
- Not to mention all the extra financial costs you avoid to manage your pain and undergo expensive treatments.
Risks of Not Treating Overbites
It’s important for you to be aware of some of the potential risks associated with treating overbite – such as potential discomfort during treatment, cavity risk due to excessive wear of brackets and wires, as well as gum damage from mismanaged treatment.
But at Dickerson Orthodontics, we’ve developed proven methods for eliminating and minimizing all of these risks on your behalf.
- Many patients finish braces treatment 2x faster than the national average treatment length, reducing your risk of downsides from the corrective devices greatly.
- You’ll enjoy clinically proven technology that reduces discomfort by up to 75% as a part of your treatment.
- Dr. D (Dr. Todd Dickerson) is a world-leading expert in orthodontics and will give your case 1-on-1 focus and care from a world-class professional.
While there are minor potential risks associated with treating overbite, the risks that come with untreated overbite are far greater.
Possible Gum Disease & Tooth Decay
Gum disease (Periodontal disease) and tooth decay are common complications of untreated overbite. In these cases, your overbite issues are with not only the teeth alignment and jaw, but your gums and the health of your teeth themselves. This leads to many greater issues – both hygienically and visually.
Get Free Consultation
Persistent Jaw & Facial Pain
Continued discomfort in your jaw is always a risk associated with an overbite that goes untreated. If you are experiencing frequent discomfort in your jaws, we recommend you seek the advice of a professional sooner than later.
Difficulty Eating
Difficulty eating can be a second-order consequence of gum disease, tooth decay, jaw alignment issues, or some combination of all three. You ought to be able to enjoy your meals. If eating is continuously uncomfortable for you, seek orthodontic advice.
Get Free ConsulationSpeech Problems
In some cases, speech problems can even be a downside of overbites, though it’s not a guarantee the two are connected.
Costs Associated with Overbite Treatment
The financial aspect of overbite correction is a key consideration. The cost may vary depending on the degree of your issue and the method for treatment chosen.
Orthodontic Treatment with Braces or Invisalign
Orthodontic treatment costs for both Braces and Invisalign can range between $5,000 – $10,000 today.
Costs to treat overbite are generally pretty similar between competitive practices today – the variable that changes has more to do with the quality of treatment you receive and level of care than the value of your investment.
The main factors when it comes to the costs of orthodontic treatment are:
- The severity of your overbite case
- The quality of treatment you receive
Jaw Surgery to Correct an Overbite
Certain extreme situations may require surgical intervention by an oral surgeon to correct an overbite or crooked teeth, and these can be pricey affairs.
Such procedures tend to carry a higher price tag, generally exceeding $10,000. Considering recovery fees alongside the surgeon’s charges for the procedure itself, sometimes it can be even more. Don’t forget to factor in these hidden expenses like post-operation recovery.
At Dickerson Orthodontics, you’ll enjoy no hidden fees – ever. We’ll also work with you to create a flexible monthly payment plan that works for your budget.
Get Free Consultation
Conclusion
Understanding your overbite, what causes it, and how to correct it is the first step to better oral health.
The benefits of treating an overbite are numerous: improved oral health, reduced jaw pain, clearer speech, and boosted self-confidence. Not to mention the huge potential cost savings of avoiding expensive treatment later!
If you’re in Phoenix seeking help for your own or a child’s overbite issue, we’d love to help.
Based in Phoenix, we specialize in providing effective solutions for all kinds of teeth issues, including overbite – even excessive overbite.
We have proven methods to correct an overbite using treatments like Invisalign and braces up to 2x faster than the treatment you could get elsewhere in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Chandler.
Don’t let an untreated overbite affect your life any longer. Get a free consultation now to discover how we can assist you in achieving the best possible smile and beautiful front teeth.
Get Free Consultation
