Malocclusion

The bite is the position of the teeth of the upper jaw relative to the lower one (the closing of the teeth). Many people have never thought about it, but some still have to think about what is the right and wrong bite, and, unfortunately, eliminate this problem. Often, it is revealed in childhood during the first visits to the dentist, which tells parents that the bite of the child needs to be corrected. But many of them do not find this problem, and they think that the baby will outgrow, and eventually it becomes a problem of an adult who has grown up, although, as practice shows, the bite is better to correct in childhood and adolescence, when the body is formed.

Consequences of malocclusion

At first glance it seems that this is only an aesthetic problem, expressed in an imperfect smile. But in fact, the incorrect bite also carries practical damage, which manifests itself only with time:

1. Paradontosis. Due to the uneven loading of teeth during chewing, they loosen over time, between them there may be gaps, and accordingly, in 40 years there will be a need to spend more time in the dental chair than before.
2. The problem with temporomandibular joints. Again, due to the uneven load during chewing, the joints that attach the jaws to the temporal bone can eventually produce clicking sounds if the mouth is opened wide, and in the worst case, this position of the dentition leads to headaches.
3. Aesthetic problem. For many people, this point is as important as the health of teeth, because the emotional state is due to a more satisfactory appearance. With an incorrect bite, a person's profile may look less attractive, just like a smile.

Treatment of malocclusion

Before deciding to correct an incorrect bite, one must understand that this is a long process (at least several years), which requires not only periodic expenditure of money but also endurance: a change in the position of the dentition does not occur painlessly, although this pain is not very pronounced, but it is regular.

Also, before you treat an incorrect bite, you need to understand that you need to pick a good orthodontist, which you will visit at least once a month.

Although correction of an incorrect bite can be carried out in several ways (including surgery or physical education), we will focus on the "golden middle", which allows you not to lie under the surgeon's knife and not to waste time on inefficient physical exercises. It is a question of a bracket system or plates.

Their mode of influence is the same, the only difference is in the price and the potential for adaptation: the braces are more expensive, but with them you can make an almost perfect dentition, and the plates are cheaper, but at the same time some defects can not be turned into perfection.

Treatment begins with a general examination and taking a plaster copy of the dentition, on which the corrective product will be made. Then, when it is ready, the plate or braces begin to set, and after that every 2-3 weeks you need to visit the doctor for a brach. Sometimes the adjustment periods reach 2 months, this depends only on which side and which tooth is corrected.

Types of malocclusion

Incorrect bite of the teeth has 6 types:

1. Dystopia. In this case, the teeth are located in the dentition, not in its place. The cause of this situation is often a narrow jaw and wide teeth, and some of them grow on top of the others, protruding slightly forward.
2. Cross bite. In this case one of the jaws is underdeveloped.
3. Open bite. Most teeth in this case do not close: either the upper or lower jaw is much wider than the other.
4. Deep bite. In this case, the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth by more than a third.
5. Mesial bite. Advance forward of the lower jaw.
6. Distal occlusion. Here, either the underdevelopment of the lower jaw or the excessive size of the upper jaw becomes a problem.

These signs of a malocclusion can be expressed in different degrees and combined with each other.

The causes of malocclusion

There are two main reasons for the formation of an incorrect bite: genetics and childhood diseases that disrupted the breathing process. Too long use of the nipple in childhood also leads to an incorrect bite in the form of a narrow jaw.