The use of Invisalign braces is an effective correction method for an overbite. An overbite happens when your top teeth and bottom teeth overlap. It is normal to have an overbite, but when it becomes too much in the case of a deep bite, it becomes a severe problem that must be corrected.

Correcting an overbite in adults can be very difficult because your teeth have been deeply rooted in your gum. However, orthodontics has made it easy using Invisalign braces and Invisalign clear aligners.

How an Overbite is measured

An overbite is normal when the overlap of your lower and upper teeth is between 2 – 4mm. Your lower teeth become more noticeable when the overlap of your upper and lower teeth is less than the range stated above.

When there is no overbite at all, it is said to be an anterior open bite; there is usually a gap between the upper and lower teeth even when your jaws are closed. Severe overbite cases come with serious pains and wearing out of upper central incisors.

Possible causes of overbites

The different causes of overbite may include the following:

• Hereditary or genetic factors
• Thumb sucking
• Missing or extra teeth
• Tongue thrusting which causes a malocclusion, open bite and overbite in some cases.

Different Types of Overbites

There are two main types of overbite, and they include the following:

• Dental Overbite:dental overbite happens in misaligned teeth. Even if your lower and upper jaw are balanced in this case, the misaligned teeth force the lower jaw to back towards the neck.
• Skeletal Overbite:skeletal overbite happens when your lower jaw does not fit your upper jaw simply because it is too small. This causes your upper teeth to push forward over your small jaw. Realigning skeletal overbite is always more difficult; a surgical solution is often required.

Why is it essential to correct an overbite?

Correcting an overbite is very important, failure to do so can cause the following problems:

• Damage of your gum
• Jaw pain
• Difficulty in speaking and chewing – you may have difficulty articulating some words.
• Tooth wear and damage especially is misaligned teeth
• People with overbite may develop obstructive sleep apnea especially when it is associated with the lower jaw.

Correcting overbite in adults

Correcting overbite is more difficult in adult than in children or teenagers. Orthodontics believes that overbite in an adult results from lack of early preventative treatment that leads to more severe symptoms as you grow older.

Your orthodontist examines the severity of your overbite to develop a treatment plan. A treatment plan can last up to a year or more depending on how severe your case can be; your orthodontist might suggest an X-ray to determine your kind of overbite so that he can develop an appropriate treatment plan for its correction.

Overbite correction for adults include the use of braces, Invisalign clear aligners, and surgery. The use of Invisalign braces for the correction of overbite is comfortable, safe, and yield fast result compared to other types of braces. Invisalign clear aligners have given a lot of people who have an awkward feeling using braces relief; it has the same colour as your teeth hence not noticed easily.

There are different treatment options for adult overbites. It is important to seek professional orthodontic advice to make the best choice. Orthodontists at Museum Dental Suites are always available to help you.