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By far the most common problem that people who get orthodontic treatment face is overbite. Overbite is very often confused with a bunch of other issues in which the upper jaw or teeth protrude and cover the lower teeth, but this is not the case. In this article, I want to explain what an overbite is and how to treat it successfully.
Definition
An overbite is a condition in which the maxillary incisors overlap the mandibular incisors. What does this mean? When you bite down your top canines cover your lower canines. That is all. No protrusion of the jaw (that is retrognathism), no misalignment of the teeth where only the teeth protrude and cover the lower teeth. An overbite is all about the canines.
Cure
Not A JokeDepending on how severe the overbite, pretty much any form of orthodontics will cure this condition. Orthodontic braces are most commonly used and heavier stuff involving orthodontic elastics (rubber bands) or headgear are not generally needed to correct an overbite. The overbite can also be corrected using a number of adult orthodontic solutions like aligners. As this condition does not constitute a severe orthodontic problem, many times functional appliances are plenty enough to realign the teeth from this sort of pathology.
Although the situation is not very severe, and much worse things can happen to your teeth then a simple overbite, it is important to take care of this condition nonetheless. The inside of your upper teeth can get scratched, and as such will be less resilient towards infections, decay, and damage. The enamel, the protective coating on your teeth, will be worn away just from chewing and eating food. The tops of your lower teeth will also become damaged, and you may experience TMJ problems from having an incorrectly aligned bite as well. Thus it is a problem, and even if it does not constitute a very severe one you should take care of it as soon as possible.
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