By Elara Orthodontics Table of Contents
What is a deep bite in dentistry?
A deep bite is a misalignment of the lower jaw that can be corrected by orthodontics. A deep bite is usually congenital, meaning it occurs at birth. It can be contributed by genetics or by environmental factors such as thumb sucking, which can affect how the jaws grow and develop during childhood. Also, a deep bite may occur as a result of an injury or trauma to the face, such as an accident or fall. It may also develop over time due to improper chewing habits or bad posture. A deep bite often causes pain in the teeth and discomfort when biting down. It can also cause difficulty speaking and eating certain foods.
Although it’s not considered a serious condition, a deep bite can cause problems later in life. For example, if you have a deep bite and grind your teeth (bruxism), your jaw joints may become inflamed from all the friction and movement over time, causing discomfort or even pain in your jaw joints. Your dentist may diagnose this condition during an examination of your mouth. They will look closely at the alignment of your upper and lower teeth to determine whether they are properly aligned with each other and figure out the best treatment for fixing deep bite. You may need X-rays if there is any doubt about your diagnosis. The cost of deep bite treatment in Texas will vary depending on the type of treatment needed.
A deep bite may be caused by:
-An underbite is where your lower jaw doesn’t meet your upper jaw in front, which can make your teeth look overcrowded or crooked.
-A crossbite is where one side of your jaw is misaligned with the other side.
-A thumb-sucking habit causes a misalignment of the upper and lower jaws. This is more common in children who suck their thumb past the age of 3 or 4.
Overbite vs deep bite
In a normal bite, the upper jaw fits snugly against the lower jaw with no space between them. In an overbite, the top teeth extend past the bottom teeth in front of them. This causes the top front teeth to touch or overlap the bottom front teeth. In a deep bite, there is too much space between your upper and lower jaws on both sides of your mouth. A deep bite can cause problems with chewing and speech because it may affect how you form certain sounds or words.
Symptoms of a deep bite
1. Jaw pain
A deep bite often causes jaw pain because of the way it forces your teeth together. This is a common symptom when your teeth aren’t aligned properly. If you grind your teeth at night or clench them during stressful situations, you’re more likely to experience chronic jaw pain. Over time, this can cause permanent damage to your teeth, gums, and jawbone. If you’ve got a deep bite but don’t experience any other symptoms, you may not need orthodontic treatment right away. However, if your bite causes severe headaches or other issues, it’s best to search for the “best orthodontics near me in Richmond Texas” as soon as possible.
2. Difficulty chewing or biting
The main symptom of a deep bite is difficulty chewing or biting down on certain foods, such as meat and hard nuts. This can cause food to get stuck in your mouth, which is painful and sometimes impossible to get rid of. You may also have difficulty closing your mouth completely, making it hard to talk or eat properly. If the problem is severe, you may find yourself biting down on your tongue when eating. In some cases, it may be impossible for you to wear certain types of dentures.
3. Difficulty breathing while sleeping
A deep bite can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night with difficulty breathing. You may also have a headache or migraine after waking up. This is due to the misalignment of your jaw, which forces your tongue into an unnatural position as you sleep. This can lead to mouth breathing, which dries out mucous membranes and exacerbates allergies.
4. Headaches and migraines
People with a deep bite often complain of headaches and migraines, as well as dry mouth and ear infections, since their airways are often partially blocked when they sleep. Some people develop TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders as well as jaw pain because their jaws cannot close properly when they chew or speak.
5. Tooth sensitivity when eating cold foods or drinks
Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common symptoms of a deep bite. Tooth sensitivity when eating cold foods or drinks is also common. The pain may feel like a dull ache or tingle, but it can also be sharp and sudden. This can lead to avoiding these foods altogether, which in turn leads to further problems with nutrition and health if these foods are important for you to eat every day. A deep bite can also cause damage to the gums because they have to stretch over the top of the lower teeth. With the bottom teeth rubbing back of top teeth, this can cause pain and irritate your gums. This can make them bleed more easily and get infected more often than normal.
6. Dry mouth
If your teeth are so badly out of alignment that one or both of them are almost touching the roof of your mouth, then you may notice that you have a dry mouth. This is because of the way the teeth impact each other. If there is no room for the tongue, it can be forced into the back of your throat, which can cause dryness. The air from the outside world can get into the roof of your mouth and dry out the soft tissue there. This is called dry mouth syndrome, and it is a common problem for a person who has a deep bite. This problem can be corrected by moving the lower jaw forward and correcting any skeletal misalignment that exists. In some cases, cosmetic orthodontic treatment may be used to help correct this problem.
Treatment for deep bite
The first step in fixing deep bite is to see your orthodontist or dentist so they can give you an accurate diagnosis. You may need X-rays taken of your mouth and head before treatment begins; this will allow your doctor to see whether the jaw is too small or whether any other factors are contributing to your problem. If the deep bite is mild, then braces may be all that’s needed to correct it.
The following are way on how to fix deep bite
1. Dental appliance
Dental appliances are frequently used while fixing deep bite. It can correct many types of malocclusion, or bite problems, including overbites, underbites, and crossbites. The appliance holds your upper and lower teeth together in a more desirable position until your bite can be permanently corrected with braces or other treatment. It does not touch your teeth, but it has a number of different parts that contact your gums and tongue to move your jaw into the correct position. The appliance may be made of metal or plastic, and it fits into the roof of your mouth behind your tongue. You’ll wear it at night while you sleep because that’s when your jaw shifts most easily during sleep. Your dentist or orthodontist (a dentist who specializes in straightening teeth) will recommend how long to wear the appliance every night, which depends on how severe your problem is and how quickly you want results.
Types of dental appliances:
Fixed appliances: These are the most common type of treatment for deep bites. They are made from metal wire and plastic, with springs that help move your jaw into the right position. They can be adjusted by a dentist so they fit well around your teeth, but they do not need to be removed every day like removable ones do.
Removable appliances: These can be taken out when eating or brushing your teeth, but they need to be returned to the dentist every six months so they can be adjusted if necessary (and cleaned).
2. Orthodontic headgear
Headgear can be placed on your teeth to move them into place. Headgear is worn at night while you sleep and usually removed during the day so that you can eat and function normally. It varies from patient to patient and may last anywhere from several weeks to more than a year, depending on how quickly your teeth move into place.
3. Orthodontic braces
Braces are a common way to move the teeth into the proper position and for deep bite correction. A series of metal wires are bonded to your teeth with special brackets attached to them. These wires will gradually move your teeth into alignment with each other over time, so they are no longer touching or overlapping at all. The cost of deep bite treatment in Texas varies greatly depending on your insurance coverage and whether or not you need surgery or just braces or retainers.
4. Surgery
If wearing an appliance does not correct the alignment of your bite, look for good orthodontics in Sugarland for surgery. Surgery involves cutting through bone to realign the jaws and often requires inserting metal screws or plates into the bones of your jaw so they can be moved into place more easily. It is important to find out what type of bite correction surgery is right for you. Different procedures are recommended depending on how severely misaligned your teeth are and how much they overlap when they close together. It is typically performed under general anesthesia, although sometimes local anesthesia is used instead. The procedure usually takes about two hours, after which you’ll spend a night or two in the hospital. After surgery, you’ll need to wear a mouthguard at night for several weeks until your mouth has healed completely. You may experience some swelling and tenderness for about a week after surgery. Your dentist will prescribe pain medication if need be. In some cases, surgery may also involve removing bone from one side of your jaw to make room for it to come forward more easily.
A deep bite is a serious oral health problem. Don’t ignore it, and most importantly, schedule a consultation with Elara Orthodontics to determine treatment options that are right for you.