An open bite is when your teeth don’t meet correctly. The problem can be fixed with orthodontics, but it’s not always needed if it doesn’t bother you or affect your speech or feeding. For example, an open bite usually happens in adults (18 years old or older) because of a missing tooth while the jaw is still growing.
So, for example, there might be only one permanent molar on the top in the back and two on the bottom in front that hasn’t come down yet. In children (under 18 years old), an open bite usually happens because of missing baby teeth that haven’t come out yet. It often closes on its own when more permanent teeth grow in. So you (well, your dentist) need to know the signs and symptoms to make the proper diagnosis before any further procedures need to be done.
Ways of Treating Open Bite
Using Invisalign
The above process is a straightforward way to straighten your teeth without metal or wires. You work with an experienced dentist who makes a series of detailed 3D-computer scans of your mouth, face, and jaw to design a series of clear aligners for you. The aligners are custom-made based on these scans, so they fit like a glove. You wear them over your teeth for 22 hours per day for about 14 months to gradually shift the position of your teeth into their new roles.
Invisalign near me works because it gently moves misaligned teeth into their correct positions with little friction or discomfort over time. If you have dental concerns, it is a convenient solution. This allows for more accurate teeth alignment by using clear, removable aligning trays. These are designed in a way that fits on your teeth and acts as retainers. In addition to the success with aligning teeth, Invisalign has been known for its decreased time frame for treatment to traditional braces since the trays only need to be removed every two weeks. With this, you can typically expect full results after around a year’s worth of treatment.
Undergoing Surgery
The surgery begins by aligning your upper and lower teeth. The surgery can correct crowding, excessive spacing, and jaw irregularities. The procedure is typically done through incisions in your mouth (called a “horizontal” procedure) or by creating a new opening in the roof of your mouth (called a “vertical” procedure). In either case, it’s often done under general anesthesia. Sometimes sedation is used for more minor surgeries.
After the surgery, your surgeon will recommend keeping any stitches in place for a limited time. You’ll also need to follow a soft-food diet. The recovery process depends on the procedure you’ve undergone, but it usually takes between one and three months to see the final results. After that, we encourage you to return to all of your regular activities!
Behavior Modification
Chewing food can be difficult if you have struggled with an open bite. And while it may seem like a relatively minor thing, the health ramifications of an open edge grow over time. Behavior modification is a way of treating the open bite by helping your child learn more appropriate chewing patterns to close the space and lessen any effects on their health. The idea behind this treatment is to reshape how they chew and to get them used to put pressure on their teeth rather than pulling or pushing on food with their lips.
Behavior modification helps children develop healthy habits that will last well into adulthood. Start with something soft and easy to chew. Begin treatment with a food that is easy to bite into – a boiled carrot is recommended as it is soft and will not break easily. Have your child chew on one edge of the carrot and see if they can bring the food up over their teeth. If they can do this, they are ready to move on to the next step. If not, you will want them to keep working until they can move on.
The best treatment method for a tooth bite depends on the dentist’s advice. The first step is to visit your dentist so they can diagnose the extent of damage and create a treatment plan that works for you. Restorations are time once you have been diagnosed and have treatment in hand. After the initial treatment, a crown or a bridge should be placed on the affected tooth. If your case is complicated, however, your dentist may recommend that you not choose any form of restoration.
