Open Bite

An open bite is one dental disorder that is more often than not caused by the patient himself. The basic issue is that the front teeth, both upper and lower are forced outwards to an extent that the teeth of the upper and the lower jaw do not touch each other, even when the mouth is closed. This has several effects.

First, and most prominently, the patient's smile is adversely affected. Often this results in loss of self esteem. The patient could also develop a lisp which, though cute when he is a child, is not so attractive in later years.

What Causes an Open Bite?

Essentially, the problem is caused by any action by the patient which puts a strain on the alignment of the teeth, especially when the patient is young. Prominent culprits in this regard are thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and chewing on a pencil or some similar object. Prolonged and incorrect use of feeding bottles and pacifiers could also contribute to the development of the condition. Any of the habits discussed above could cause the front teeth to flare out. Since the jaw is still developing, the teeth become misaligned. Yet another reason for this condition could be a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) where the patient suffers from chronic pain in the jaw and uses his tongue to push the teeth apart so that his jaw can be in a more comfortable position. Quite often, if you consult a doctor for frequent headaches and sensitive teeth, she will check you out for an open bite and temporomandibular joint disorder as well.

Correcting Open Bites

While correcting this condition is relatively straightforward, the correction does not tend to be permanent. This is because straightening the teeth using braces enlarges the socket in the jaw.

As soon as the restraint offered by the brace is removed, the tongue gets back to work and pushes the teeth to their original position. It is quite clear, then, that the problem is best corrected early.

The best cure is to prevent the open bite from occurring in the first place. You can gently eliminate thumb sucking and reduce the dependence on the pacifier. If the treatment is delayed, the patient may end up with poor speech and an unattractive smile.

Open bite is an oral condition that occurs when certain teeth, usually your front teeth, do not make contact with each other. Open bite gives the illusion that a person's mouth is never really closed, because there is always space between the teeth. Since open bite is not a common problem, those who seek treatment do so primarily for aesthetic reasons. For patients that have moderate to extreme open bite, treatment is important since the condition can affect the joints of the jaw and cause recurring pain throughout the region. There are a number of circumstances that could be responsible for open bite. Thumb sucking and tongue thrusting are habits that can have an affect on the development of open bite. Speech problems such as lisping can also cause open bite. Genetics can create a situation where the upper and lower jaw are unaligned. Your dentist should be able to spot these causes and refer you to an orthodontist for proper treatment. While open bite can often be treated with braces, in moderate to extreme cases a more complex solution is required. These cases are more difficult to handle because both the teeth and the jaw are involved. Many individuals with moderate to extreme open bite require surgery to correct their jaw. In addition, they need braces before and after the surgery to achieve proper alignment. The entire treatment procedure requires a significant financial investment, and in severe cases, may take more than 3 years to complete. The price of treatment and the time needed to complete it vary between adults and children since their mouths are in different stages of development. Even so, many individuals pay for the procedure in installments, whether they work out a payment plan with their surgeon or through a third party.

An open bite is a fairly common dental problem in which the teeth on the bottom and top of the mouth do not touch. It is caused by problems like TMJ (tension in the trans-mandibular joint) or chronic thumb sucking in early childhood. There are several different approaches for open bite treatment.

Braces

1. Wear braces. The wires attached to the individual braces on each tooth exert a pressure on the teeth that, over time, causes the teeth to shift and the open bite to close. When the orthodontist adjusts your braces, avoid hard biting and use a sensitive teeth toothpaste for a few days, because the adjustment tends to make the teeth sore and just a teensy bit loose. Commit to extremely good oral hygiene, because plaque, food particles and bacteria can build up on the teeth around the bases if the teeth are not kept clean. This can cause cavities and other oral problems such as gum disease.

Headgear
2. Wear headgear that exerts pressure on the teeth or entire jaw. Sometimes the headgear is worn only at night, which makes it a little less conspicuous. The headgear, like braces, is custom fit to the wearer and may need adjustment as the teeth and/or jaw shift(s). This method may be best if the teeth are straight and do not need to be moved to correct angle or positioning; it is associated more with open bites that are the result of jaw issues rather than habits like pushing the teeth with the tongue or thumb sucking.

Blocks and Magnets

3. Bite blocks work to keep the jaw and teeth from moving in a particular way or direction, thereby training the jaw and teeth into a closed bite position. Magnets do the same thing. With these, the repelling force of the magnet is used to guide the teeth and jaw the way they need to move. These may be used in conjunction with headgear.

Behavior
4. Some cases of open bite are caused by particular behaviors. The best example is thumb sucking. Stopping these behaviors is an effective open bite treatment for such cases because it immediately stops the cause of the open bite. The bite may not get better without additional treatment methods like braces or headgear, but behavior modification can guarantee that the open bite will not get any worse. Speak with your dentist or orthodontist to determine exactly what has caused your open bite, since behavior modification will not work in instances where the open bite is caused by a physical problem.

Surgery
5. Going under the knife is the most drastic of all open bite treatments, as it often involves surgical repositioning of the jaw. The recovery time for this treatment is longer than for other treatment methods, and you may need to take pain medications and eat very soft foods until you heal. This method uses braces prior to surgery to put teeth into a post surgery position, so it's a long process.