Common Problems

Common Dental Problems

OVERBITE

This is when the top teeth overlap the bottom teeth. Most people have some degree of overbite, but a significant case can cause excessive wear, jaw discomfort, or expose the front teeth to injury.

SPACING

When your teeth are too narrow due to certain oral habits (thumb-sucking) or missing teeth, you will have gaps between two or more teeth. While it’s more a cosmetic concern, it can impact your gum health.

UNDERBITE

When the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth. It’s often a result of the upper jaw growing at a different rate than the lower. It can make it hard to chew and lead to uneven tooth wear. Since it’s skeletal in nature, it’s good to be diagnosed early.

CROSSBITE

Trauma, oral habits, genetics, or early loss of baby teeth can cause some of the upper teeth to sit inside of the lowers, but not all. Patients will often compensate by shifting their jaw to one side, which can cause permanent changes to the facial structure.

CROWDING

If you don’t have enough room in the jaw for all of your teeth, it makes it harder to brush and floss, and increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. It can be caused by losing teeth too early, permanent teeth erupting incorrectly, or an imbalance in the tooth-to-jaw ratio.

OPENBITE

Genetics, oral habits, tongue thrusting and prolonged pacifier use can cause a bite where the top and bottom teeth don’t come together. This can affect your ability to bite and chew.