Dental Irregularities

Irregularities in the position of teeth are the most common orthodontic problem, and are most commonly due to lack of space for all the permanent teeth. Because of insufficient space, teeth may erupt into abnormal positions, making then difficult to clean and protect from developing cavities or gum disease. In other situations, there may be spaces between teeth, or developing permanent teeth maybe impacted or even missing. These problems can be successfully treated at an early age although the earlier the treatment is instituted, the more successful and stable the result will be.

Bite Problems

Many patients will present abnormalities in their bite. The most common of these are overbites, where upper teeth protrude beyond the lowers, underbites where the lower teeth protrude beyond the uppers, or cross-bite where the back teeth do not match properly. Thumb sucking or tongue thrusting may cause an open bite where the teeth do not touch at all. Children with large overbites have a greater incidence of trauma to the front teeth. In addition bite problems can cause abnormal wear of the teeth, difficulty in chewing, damage to supporting bone and gum tissue, and even TMJ (jaw joint) problems.

Facial Abnormalities

Many patients will present abnormalities in their bite. The most common of these are overbites, where upper teeth protrude beyond the lowers, underbites where the lower teeth protrude beyond the uppers, or cross-bite where the back teeth do not match properly. Thumb sucking or tongue thrusting may cause an open bite where the teeth do not touch at all. Children with large overbites have a greater incidence of trauma to the front teeth. In addition bite problems can cause abnormal wear of the teeth, difficulty in chewing, damage to supporting bone and gum tissue, and even TMJ (jaw joint) problems.