Types of Bites

Every smile is different, with all sorts of variations in tooth spacing and bite alignments.  These orthodontic disorders range from minor to severe, but our team has a variety of treatment options at our disposal. 

Whether your teeth require something as simple as Invisalign clear braces, or a more advanced solution, the orthodontists here at Martindale Dental have seen it all and are able to treat cases of all types. 

Keep reading as we discuss these in more detail now, but we also encourage you to call one of our offices to schedule a consultation if you need help treating any of these disorders.  A more beautiful smile is just a phone call away.

Crossbite

A crossbite is an orthodontic disorder that can take place in either the front or sides of the mouth, or both. A person will have one or more upper teeth that will bite down on the inside of their lower teeth when a crossbite is present. We recommend early correction to avoid:

  • Gum disease
  • Bone loss
  • Premature wear of teeth
  • Improper chewing patterns
  • Asymmetrical jaw development
  • Relation to jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ)

Related services

image of a crossbite before treatment
image of a crossbite after treatment

Correcting a Crossbite

The way in which we can help you correct a crossbite depends on how many teeth are affected. If it is just a single tooth crossbite we can use braces to correct the positioning of teeth. There have even been times when a retainer was enough to correct the problem. However, if multiple teeth are affected you will need to have the arch expanded using braces and/or other oral appliances.

Open bite

If you have an openbite it means your teeth insufficiently overlap vertically. Different oral habits can cause this problem including thumb (or digit) sucking, uneven jaw growth and tongue thrust. The success of correcting an openbite depends on the timing of treatment.

diagram of what an openbite looks like

Open bite should be corrected because it can:

  • Cause premature wear of the back teeth
  • Cause dysfunctional chewing patterns
  • Make your smile less attractive
  • Be related of jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ)
image of an open bite before treatment

Correcting an Open bite

Our professional team will assess your open bite and determine the best method for correction. This might include anterior or front teeth extrusion, braces, or some times, surgical means to correct the jaw. Of course, any oral habits present need to be overcome as well including thumb sucking, to completely correct an open bite.

Over bite

When an overbite is present the upper front teeth will protrude over the front lower teeth with practically no contact between upper and lower front teeth. This particular bite occurs when an uneven amount of front teeth eruption has taken place, or the bone supporting the teeth has been over-developed. You might hear this kind of bite also referred to as a deep bite. We encourage having an overbite corrected to avoid

image showing what an over bite look slike

Over bite should be corrected because it causes:

  • Unusual wearing of front lower teeth
  • Inadequate functioning of front teeth
  • Possible front lower teeth biting into upper gum tissue
  • Less attractive smile
image of an over bite before treatment
image of an over bite after treatment

Correcting an Overbite

Our professional team can help you correct an overbite by moving the front teeth or ensuring the back teeth come back together to ‘open’ the bite, properly aligning the teeth and eliminating the overbite.

Overjet

You may not have heard this term used often but it’s also known as protrusion. An overjet bite means your lower teeth are farther behind your upper teeth. This can be caused by flared upper incisors, misalignment of molars, missing lower teeth or a mixture of these factors. And again, thumb sucking or tongue thrusting can also worsen an overjet.

We highly advise you correct an overjet bite to avoid:

  • Improper front teeth function
  • Premature wearing of teeth

Correcting an Overjet

We can help you correct this bite via an appliance and/or elastics.

Underbite

Many people are aware of what an underbite is and what it looks like. However, living with an underbite can be very troublesome. The lower teeth will protrude past the front teeth when an underbite is present. The lack of growth to the upper jaw can cause underbite as well as too much growth of the lower jaw, lack of lower teeth, flared upper incisors or a combination of any of these factors.

graphic showing what an underbite looks like

We advise having an underbite corrected early on to avoid:

  • Jaw or joint problems
  • Improper function of front teeth or molars (TMJ)
  • Premature wearing of teeth
  • Eating or chewing problems
image of an underbite before treatment

Correcting an Underbite

We can help you correct your underbite using jaw growth modification, tooth extraction or if necessary, surgical jaw correction.

Martindale Dental provides both general and specialty dentistry under one roof.  For more than 20 years, our dentists have been advocates for their patient’s oral health care needs.
Our dental offices are conveniently located throughout the GTA in Hamilton (Jackson Square), and St. Catharines, Ontario. We offer convenient appointments before or after work & on weekends.

Martindale Dental provides both general and specialty dentistry under one roof.  For more than 20 years, our dentists have been advocates for their patient’s oral health care needs.
Our dental offices are conveniently located throughout the GTA in Hamilton (Jackson Square), and St. Catharines, Ontario. We offer convenient appointments before or after work & on weekends.

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