When it comes to maintaining oral health for years to come, many people are looking for simple thing that they can do to protect their smiles. One thing that you may want to look at, and ask your dental team about, is how your bite is structured. A poorly aligned bite can destabilize your oral health and increase your risk of developing a number of dental issues. Keep reading to learn more from our Saint Louis dentists about bite dysfunction.
If your top and bottom teeth do not come together naturally and comfortably, you may find that your whole smile suffers as a result. Some common bite issues include:
Overbite: when your top teeth jut out far beyond your bottom teeth. This can make it difficult for patients to bite into food.
Underbite: this occurs when your bottom teeth sit in front of your top teeth when your mouth is closed. As you would imagine, this can make it hard to eat, and some patients do not like the aesthetics of an underbite.
Crossbite: if top and bottom teeth hit, or if one portion of your smile has an overbite, and another part has an underbite, then you are dealing with crossbite.
Some people do not have structural problems with their visible teeth, but their back molars do not come together well, and thus they have problems chewing.
If you are dealing with a poorly aligned bite, you may start to develop TMJ pain and damage. Additionally, your teeth can start to wear down prematurely and unevenly. Many people with bite problems actually subconsciously change the way that they bite and chew, which ends up putting a lot of pressure on specific teeth, especially back molars.
Depending on the type of bite problems you’re experiencing, your dentist may recommend that you straighten your natural teeth using orthodontics, improve your bite surfaces with bonding or restorations, and/or wear a protective oral appliance at night.
As always, our Saint Louis dentists are here to help you in any way that we can. So, give us a call to get more information and to schedule a personal consultation!