OVERBITES

There is significant number of our children that go through childhood with overbites. Overbites are usually caused by thumb sucking, finger sucking or other habits that force the upper teeth out over the lower teeth. Sometimes breathing disorders can cause this overbite.

Whatever the cause, our most immediate concern is to stop whatever is causing the overbite and correct it. The first and best treatment is to STOP THAT THUMB SUCKING, or any of those other malicious habits.

Treatment of the overbite has made enormous advances over the years. Most everyone believes that overbites can't be treated until the child is 12 years old and has braces. This is wrong on both counts. To make a child wait until they are 12 years old to get treatment for the overbite is wrong. The child may go for years with this disfiguring overbite if we till twelve. During this time the child will not be able to chew food efficiently. But the most serious result of waiting is the damage that a disfiguring overbite has on the little one's self esteem. If a child is left with a overbite in his formative years, peers could make remarks that may seem degrading to the child. We need to prevent this from happening. It could change a budding leader of society into a shy withdrawn individual.

There is another very important reason to seek early intervention. An overbite is normally a difference in the way the jaw bones are aligned. The lower jaw is back too far and needs to be further forward. This can be seen when the child is viewed from the side.

We can now bring the lower jaw forward with orthopedic appliances. There are several to choose from depending on the particular needs of the child.  These appliances work to allow the lower jaw to grow forward until the lower jaw is aligned with the upper bone and consequently the upper and lower teeth are aligned. This is accomplished by a natural growth process.

Orthopedic appliances work on children much better than adults. The best ages is seven and eight years till the ages of thirteen and fourteen. This  is a natural way of treating orthodontic problems. If the overbite is left until a child is sixteen then it is much more difficult to correct the overbite and the result is never as good as when the lower jaw can be guided forward in a natural growth cycle. The overbite was cause by an interruption of natural growth of the lower jaw by thumb sucking or another habit. It is sensible that the correction of this problem should be to let the lower jaw correct itself by growing forward naturally.

Exam your child's teeth. If there is any question that he has an overbite or not, seek out your dentist and let him help.

Larry W. Cox DMD