When your child has lower teeth that protrude beyond the upper, it may indicate that your child has an underbite, and an underbite is not all that cosmetic. Your child may feel uncomfortable while chewing, speaking, and may also experience long-term pain.
There are clinics available like Embrace Orthodontics for those families looking for underbite treatment Ann Arbor, where they can get expert care with advanced techniques, personalized attention to correct their jaw alignment effectively. Their professional dentists are experts in offering pediatric and adult dentistry, where every patient will receive the most appropriate treatment.
What Exactly Is an Underbite?
People who suffer from an underbite often have their lower jaw extending beyond their upper jaw; as a result, their lower teeth may cover the upper teeth. This condition happens because of genetic factors, but sometimes habits like long-term thumb-sucking or the use of a pacifier may also contribute.
Uncommonly, injuries or skeletal anomalies can also cause it. Mild underbites are outgrown or corrected in children with professional assistance to avoid deteriorating over time.
How Underbites Impact Health
Not only do underbites look bad, but they can pose a health problem:
- Jaw Pain and Headaches: Inappropriate alignment of jaw joints leads to jaw pain and TMJ disorders.
- Speech and Eating Struggles: Severe underbites may also be the reason for lisps or difficulties in eating hard food.
- Tooth Damage: Unbalanced pressure erodes enamel and increases the cavity and cracks risks.
- Breathing Issues: Severe ones may cause sleep apnea or chronic oral breathing.
- Self-Esteem Concerns: It can impact confidence in the social circle due to visible jaw misalignment.
Can Underbites Be Fixed Without Surgery?
Therapy is based on severity and age:
For Children
- Expanders: Spread the upper jaw to stimulate a better position.
- Braces or Invisalign: Move teeth into position gradually.
- Face Masks/Chin Caps: Gently guide jaw growth during development.
For Adults
- Orthodontics: Braces or clear aligners can still improve mild cases.
- Tooth Extraction: Crowding is lessened in the case of ill-aligned teeth.
- Jaw Surgery: Reshapes or repositions the jaw for severe underbites.
Why Early Treatment Matters
Delay may complicate correction. Growing bones are used in childhood treatment, which may avoid surgical treatment later. Though it may not appear to be serious, meeting an orthodontist at a tender age helps avoid problems later. This also prevents more expensive interventions that would be necessary in adulthood.
Choosing the Right Care
Orthodontic specialists such as Embrace Orthodontics can also treat underbites, including some less aggressive expanders, surgery, and more. The fact that they are professionals will ensure that the patients know all the actions taking place, and this will ease the work of both children and adults. They support patients to get confident smiles and functional bites with modern technology and good care.
The Bottom Line
Underbites are not merely a cosmetic concern; it is a health priority in terms of day-to-day comfort and long-term well-being. New orthodontics has solutions for every age, with an early intervention necessary or estimated adult treatment.
Don’t suffer from an underbite that prevents a good smile; contact a specialist to examine your choices today. Keep in mind that early intervention to solve a problem with jaw alignment results in a healthier smile in the long term.
