Teeth are an indispensable part of your body’s anatomy. They are vital for your overall health.
Deep bite and open bite dental issues are quite common in adults. Both these dental issues are caused by misalignment of teeth and jaws.
Genetics, teeth crowding, failure of dental treatment or worn or decayed teeth could also be contributing factors in these dental issues.
In this article, we will throw some light on these dental issues and get information on how to fix them.
What is a Deep Bite?
A deep bite occurs when the upper row of front teeth almost completely overlap with the lower row of front teeth.
This does not only look bad but also is detrimental to the health of teeth and jaw joints. In some cases, it may happen that the lower front teeth could rise higher than the back teeth.
In very rare cases, this could result in lower front teeth scratching the gum tissue located in the roof of the mouth.
This dental condition is a serious complication and if not treated on time could result in loss of front teeth.
Deep bite has to be fixed in order to improve the functionality of teeth and make brushing and flossing easy process.
Deep bite treatment will also dramatically enhance the appearance of your smile.
What is Open Bite?
Open bite occurs when there is an insufficient overlap of an upper front row of teeth and lower row of front teeth.
The open bite can successfully orthodontically corrected when it is done on time. If the dental issue is ignored for a long period of time, the result of the orthodontic treatment could be delayed.
The open bite may also cause speech problems and eating problems. It can also cause excessive wear of teeth which come into contact frequently while chewing of food.
Correction of the open bite will resolve speech problems and make your smile look attractive.
Habits such as prolonged sucking of thumb or fingers and abnormal tongue behavior could cause open bite problems.
If thumb sucking habit is stopped at the appropriate time, chances of improvement in the open bite are increased.
What Treatments can be Employed to Treat Deep Bite?
Upper and lower row front teeth of patients suffering from deep bites are generally worn out.
Hence, to restore these teeth, treatment options, such as porcelain veneers, composite bonding, crowns or removable orthodontic appliance are available. To treat deep bits, the following treatments can be employed:
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1: Braces
Braces are the most preferable and common treatment used to cure deep bite. The prerequisite to correct deep bite is a requirement of the large force to correct teeth alignment.
This can be easily done through braces as they exert the large force to correct poor angulation of upper and lower teeth.
If braces are fixed in early age, severe deep bites can be treated using removable appliance so as to reduce wearing of teeth.
Braces are available in different varieties and you can choose accordingly that fits within your budget and requirement.
Hidden or lingual braces, clear braces, traditional fixed braces, clear aligners, and removable inman aligners are few examples of braces.
Cost of dental braces depends on which type of braces you have opted for. Cost of traditional dental braces or the metallic ones is less than the clear braces.
Also, dental braces cost briefly depends on which hospital you have chosen and in which city you reside.
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2: Dental Implants
Dental implants are required in cases of deep bites wherein back teeth are missing. Missing of back teeth further worsens the problems and requires dental implants or bridgework to restore missing teeth and re-establish correct bite.
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3: Orthognathic Surgery
Orthognathic surgery is also called as jaw surgery and is conducted only in severe deep bite cases or skeletal overbite.
The orthodontist will select which treatment is suitable for your deep bite case.
Generally, factors like facial profile, the extent of deep bite and likely growth contribute in deciding which treatment option should be implemented to cure deep bite.
The dentist will usually recommend long-lasting and least invasive solution to meet your overall requirements.
What Treatments can be Employed to Treat Open Bites?
Open bite dental disorder can be corrected using the following methods:
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1: Braces
Braces are one of the most favorable treatment options to fix open bites. The force exerted by the braces is enough to pull the front teeth of the upper row or push back teeth of the upper row.
It takes approximately a year for the braces dental treatment to produce the desired result.
Cost of dental braces depends on which type of dental brace you have opted. Ceramic dental braces cost more than metallic ones.
The cost of dental braces also counts on the dental clinic you have chosen and the city you live in.
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2: Roller Appliance
The roller appliance is a small roller like bead which is placed on a small wire that is connected to braces on the upper molars. The appliance helps in straightening the muscles of the tongue.
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3: Bite Block
Bite block appliance is placed over the molars in order to move and adjust back teeth to treat the open bite.
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4: Open Bite Surgery
In case of severe open bite cases, open bite surgery is recommended to fix the problem.
The surgical procedure comprises of oral surgeon resurfacing upper jaw in new position and then securing it in place with the help of screws and plates.
Your oral surgeon may use a combination of above-mentioned treatments to treat the open bite.
The treatment approach selected depends on the severity of your problem and your facial structure.
Dental braces are one treatment option that cures several dental alignment disorders at once.
It is one of the most preferable dental treatment and the cost of dental braces is also not very high. Once, the problem of an open bite is cured, you will be able to eat well and your smile will also look good.
To take care of your teeth post dental treatment, it is important that the patient takes flossing seriously.
Flossing has to be done compulsorily after every meal to remove solid food particles that get stuck between dental spaces.
Also, brushing your teeth twice a day- once when you wake up and once before you hit the bed at night.
Taking proper care, ensuring good oral hygiene and keeping the check on oral habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting etc. from childhood is one of the basic ways of preventing a majority of dental disorders.