“Occlusion” is defined as the alignment of the teeth and the term “malocclusion” explains when the bite is in misalignment. Malocclusion can account for an “overbite,” when the teeth in your lower jaw sit far behind the teeth in the upper jaw, or for an “underbite,” when the teeth in the upper jaw sat further in front of the teeth in the lower jaw. Other examples of malocclusion may involve a “crossbite”, where the upper and lower teeth sit both in front of and behind each other at the same time, severe crowding, or an open bite, which occurs when some teeth do not come in contact with each other in the front.
Many times individual teeth malocclude because of developmental genetics or a lack of space in the mouth for teeth to naturally come into place. Malocclusion is the reason orthodontic treatment is so prevalent today because traditional braces or Invisalign are both meant to straighten and realign the teeth over time. If you think that your child may have a misaligned bite or notice crowding of their teeth, this would be a great time to have the orthodontist take a look and provide you with some options to see if your child may need braces or Invisalign to bring the teeth back into proper alignment.
Now, not every child may need braces, but smiles that do suffer with mild to severe malocclusion will not magically straighten out on their own over time. They may continue to stay where they are or cause further problems down the road. Some children get by without orthodontic treatment in their younger years and then choose to later get braces or Invisalign as an adult! Regardless, it is up to you and your orthodontist to see what treatment option would work best for your child.
More and more young adults are trying to improve their appearance. Our friends and Brandon, Florida dermatologist at PHDermatology have explained to us that many of the consultations with young adults involve a conversation with the appearance of one’s teeth, smile, mouth and skin.
Questions?
If you are unsure if your child needs braces or Invisalign treatment, those of us at Gladwell Orthodontics are here to serve your needs! We have elite orthodontists in the Raleigh Triangle area who are board certified to help provide you with the best care. In our office we offer an initial consultation to see what your child may need and give you options to explore for what would work best. Please visit our website to learn more!
