PRESENTED BY TOWNSVILLE ORTHODONTIC SPECIALISTS
Bad Bites and Good Orthodontics What you need to know
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What is a bite? A bite describes how the upper and lower teeth fit together. There are ideal, acceptable and bad bites. An orthodontist is an expert in diagnosing bites, teeth and facial form in young, growing and adult patients.
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Bad Bites Bad bites can include deep bites, protrusions, asymmetries, underbites and crossbites. A common bite problem is a deep overbite. Ideally, the upper teeth will only cover the lower teeth by 2mm. A deep overbite is an excessive vertical overlap of the upper and lower front teeth, resulting in the front teeth spending too much time hitting each other. This contact often leads to increased chipping and wearing down (which is irreversible), thus compromising both cosmetics and longevity of the front teeth. Orthodontic treatment should therefore correct bad bites, where possible. Quick Treatment…Ideal? Patients with crowding request treatment to align their teeth – they’re after a nice smile. If they also have bad bites, their treatment should also address these. Although bite correction is not always simple, a specialist orthodontist has the knowledge, training and experience to provide predictable and pleasing results. Without bite correction, your opportunity is wasted. Quick treatment will often come at the expense of ideal aesthetics and can compromise the stability and longevity of the teeth. If offered a quick orthodontic treatment, do not quickly commit! Don’t be lured. Exercise due diligence and seek an expert opinion. Only a specialist orthodontist can fully explain all of the treatment options, which is essential for informed consent. You will be pleasantly surprised that good orthodontics does not always cost more, or take much longer. At the very least, find out and make the choice! Even if you do choose the ‘faster’ option, an orthodontist is still the best person for the job.
