At Kottemann Orthodontics, we are honored to be trusted to fix the bites of our patients. If you think you need orthodontic treatment but aren’t sure, keep reading! We will review what a bad bite is, what it can cause, and how we can help.
What Exactly Do We Mean By A Bad Bite?
There are a few different terms to define bad bites because there are a few different ways a bite can be bad.
An overbite is when your upper teeth protrude further than your lower teeth. In contrast, an underbite is when your lower front teeth stick out past your upper front teeth.
An open bite is when your two rows of teeth have a large gap when you close your mouth, typically caused by teeth that angle outward.
A crossbite is when some of your upper teeth fit inside your teeth.
Lastly, a misplaced midline bite is when the center of your upper front teeth does not align with the center of your lower front teeth.
What’s The Big Deal If You Have A Bad Bite?
Because your teeth and jaw alignment define your bite, a poor bite can negatively impact your quality of life. Some side effects include:
- Difficulty chewing, which increases the risk of choking, vitamin deficiency, and digestive issues like heartburn.
- Suffering from migraines and neck pain
- Having trouble breathing caused by narrow air passageways
- Being forced to breathe through the mouth
- Developing temporary or permanent dry mouth
- Suffering from sleep apnea or snoring, which can leave you feeling exhausted during the day
- Developing temporary or permanent TMJ issues
- Having bad breath
- Having difficulty performing oral hygiene
- Unwanted influence on a child’s facial structure as they get older
- Having abnormal wear and tear on the teeth that strip the enamel and cause tooth chipping
- Having an increased risk of tooth decay, gum disease, infection, and mouth sores
- Developing a speech impediment
- Suffering from pain when speaking
- Cosmetic Insecurities
Most of these symptoms worsen over time but can be relieved entirely or minimized with proper treatment. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for your issues to be unmanageable or intolerable! In fact, we encourage you to see an orthodontist sooner rather than later! Treatment can begin straight away.
Can Kottemann Orthodontics Help?
At Kottemann Orthodontics, we have a wide variety of treatment options so that we can provide orthodontic care to many.
Metal Braces
Metal braces are able to fix orthodontic cases ranging from simple to complex and are the go-to option for most patients. Using wires, ligatures, and brackets made of stainless steel, metal braces have earned a reputation as durable and reliable.
Because this treatment option is bonded to the teeth and must be removed by one of our trained orthodontists, you need to adjust your diet to accommodate the metal in your mouth. Unfortunately, trying to eat unapproved foods can cause an orthodontic emergency, like broken brackets, for example. You should also expect to modify your oral hygiene routine. Not thoroughly cleaning your braces can lead to an accumulation of bacteria and plaque that can cause bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease.
Your teeth are moved from the pressure created by tightening the wire. The strength of the metal brackets makes traditional metal braces the best route if you require additional orthodontic devices, like a Herbst appliance.
This treatment option is great for patients of all ages.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are similar to metal braces in every way except one. Instead of using metal brackets, ceramic braces use tooth-colored ceramic brackets to create the illusion of clear braces. You can pair them with matching ligatures to stay subtle or choose a color for a neon-like effect.
Though durable, the ceramic material is not as strong as its metal predecessor, so the wire tightenings are less intense. If you choose clear braces, you should anticipate spending more time in them than their alternative. They are also more likely to chip if you have an active lifestyle or are rough on them.
Other than that, clear braces are identical to metal ones. You can also wear orthodontic accessories and must adjust your diet and oral hygiene routine.
Clear braces are a fantastic option if you don’t want or qualify for clear aligners (which we’ll get to next). Due to the extra care that clear braces require, we suggest this treatment option for adults and older teenagers.
Invisalign
Kottemann Orthodontics is proud to offer you the leading brand of in-office clear aligners, Invisalign. Clear aligners are transparent, removable trays that straighten the teeth by applying pressure.
Each tray is custom-made for comfort and to target your specific needs. The snug fit and transparent design improves your bite while being almost invisible to others. Invisalign’s special technology allows treatment to conclude in as little as six months!
The removability of the aligners allows you to eat, drink, and perform oral hygiene as if you were not in treatment. However, the trays don’t work if you don’t wear them! You should wear your trays for twenty-two hours a day to stay on schedule.
Invisalign has treatment options (including some alignment accessories) available for children, teens, and adults with mild to medium bite needs.
Before choosing this option, consider whether you can handle the responsibility of a removable appliance, including wearing, keeping up with, and cleaning the aligners.
Surgery
For patients with more severe needs, we also offer surgical options. We can prescribe surgery to improve jaw alignment, remove wisdom teeth, repair facial trauma, reduce or remove TMJ symptoms, and address other needs.
Surgery can take several weeks to heal, so you might need to take some time off work. Once all healed, we might follow surgery with another treatment, like braces or clear aligners.
Visit Us At Kottemann Orthodontics To Find Out Which Treatment You Qualify For!
With so many options, we are bound to be able to help the whole family create the beautiful and functional smiles of your dreams!
Finding out which treatment you qualify for is easy! To book your free in-person consultation, contact one of our four convenient locations or click here for a virtual consult!
We look forward to meeting you and your family and watching your smile(s) transform! See you soon!