In order for you to properly chew your food, smile brightly, and avoid cavities more often than not, your upper and lower jaws should sit in proper alignment. If they don’t, then your teeth cannot properly close together, leaving you dealing with a lifetime of issues as a result. Thankfully, your Belleville dentist can assess and correct your bite using proven techniques designed to restore your dental health and smile. Here’s what you need to know.
How to Tell If You Have Bite Misalignments
Are bite issues impacting your dental health and smile? It’s not always clear at first glance. Minor alignment differences are quite common, after all, and rarely cause issues. But when your upper or lower jaw extends far past the ideal point, you can likely benefit from care from your Belleville dentist. You’ll need to go in for a consultation visit to see if you have a misaligned bite and decide what level of treatment would work best for your needs.
Most Common Types of Bite Issues
As your dentist performs an exam during the consultation appointment, they will look for malocclusions, which are areas where the placement of your top and bottom teeth does not match. If you have malocclusions, they’ll usually fall into the following three categories.
- Overbite: The upper jaw extends past the lower row of teeth
- Underbite: The lower jaw juts out further than the upper row of teeth
- Crossbite: The upper teeth fit inside the inner arch of the lower jaw
All bite misalignments can occur simply due to the shape of your face, how your teeth grow in, and other genetic factors. Thumb sucking, injuries, and other factors can also contribute to the development of overbites and underbites.
Benefits of Bite Correction Treatments
By getting your bite corrected, you can avoid:
- Headaches, earaches, and jaw strain
- Gastric issues due to an inability to fully chew your food
- A higher risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease
If you have a speech impediment caused by a misaligned bite, having it corrected can also help reduce difficulties pronouncing certain letter sounds.
Dental Treatments Used to Correct Bite Issues
Once you decide to move forward in correcting your bite issues, your Belleville dentist will present the options that’ll work best for you, such as:
- Traditional braces
- Clear aligners
- Removable retainer
A removable retainer can only help correct minor misalignments, so most people need either braces or clear aligners.
No matter which route you choose, the corrective devices gradually pull your teeth into their proper positions. As that happens, your upper and lower jaws can come together naturally, eliminating the bite issues affecting your dental health and smile.
Ready to Boost Your Dental Health and Smile with Help from Your Belleville Dentist?
As your trusted Belleville dentist, our team can provide the full range of dental care services. Whether you need routine teeth cleaning or help to correct your bite, we’re here for you. All you have to do is call 613-208-0809 to make an appointment with our team at Make Me Smile Dental Centre. You can then come in and speak with your dentist about your care needs, and then get help perfecting your dental health and smile.