All about braces

There are many reasons for orthodontic care at Martin Orthodontics. Here are some of the most common malocclusions that may require braces. (Listed alphabetically.)

Crossbite
With a crossbite, the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth, especially near the back of the mouth which may damage/grind the upper teeth and may lead to misaligned jaw growth.

Crowding
Crowding occurs when teeth have insufficient room in the mouth. Crowding can get worse over time as one tooth pushes over the other leading to overlapping teeth. Crowded teeth are harder to clean then straight teeth, which can also lead to tooth decay. Crowding can often be correct by expansion so as to avoid tooth removal.

Dental Midlines (Mismatching)
In a perfectly aligned face there should be a straight line from the bridge of the nose to the middle of the top front teeth and the bottom front teeth. If the teeth are misaligned, it could mean the back bite does not fit and match appropriately, which may negatively impact jaw and proper dental function. Mismatched midlines could shift the lower jaw and result in an improper bite.

Openbite
An open bite is when you can actually stick your tongue between your teeth while biting down. Proper chewing is impacted by this type of bite, and may cause tongue thrusting.  An open bite is a cosmetic problem, but it can also cause chewing problems. This may also be caused by excessive thumb sucking beyond age 4.

Overjet
The appearance and function of your teeth are impacted by this type of bite. It is characterized by the upper teeth extending too far forward or the lower teeth not extending far enough forward. Because of the abnormal contact between the upper and lower front teeth it could cause injury to the lower teeth. It also causes poor bites and may even be from uneven jaw growth. This problem can be caused by thumb and finger sucking beyond age 4.

Overbite (Excessive)
An overbite, or deep bite is when the front teeth cover the lower teeth too much. An excessive overbite can lead to wearing down of the teeth and may even cause the bottom teeth to bite into the roof of the mouth.

Spacing
Spacing is basically too much room between the teeth and can occur if teeth are missing, small, or if the dental arch is wide. In many cases, spacing is a cosmetic issue and may not be the cause of many dental problems.