Underbite is a condition in which the upper and lower teeth do not align properly, with lower teeth overlapping upper ones. Depending upon its severity, underbite can be disabling, making chewing and speech difficult, and disfiguring, significantly affecting a person’s appearance. Underlying causes can be dental, with poorly positioned teeth creating the underbite, or skeletal, a product of uneven jaw growth or abnormal jaw positioning. Dental overbites are generally fixed with orthodontic treatment, but if your overbite is skeletal you’ll probably need the help of Singapore oral surgeon, since correcting a skeletal overbite typically requires a combination of jaw surgery and braces – a process called orthognathic surgery.
About Skeletal Overbite
Skeletal problems that can create an overbite can include discrepancies in jaw size. This can happed due to overgrowth of the lower jaw or undergrowth in the upper one, or, more frequently, some combination of both. Typically, the teeth are poorly aligned as well, as they move to compensate for the misalignment of the jaw. Individuals with a skeletal overbite, depending upon its severity, may experience functional problems that include poor biting and chewing efficiency, speech impediments and difficulty closing the mouth completely. Excessive wear on the teeth can also be a problem, which can increase risk of tooth damage and decay, as well as dental infections and gum disease. Jaw clicking, pain and stiffness can occur, and Singapore dental patients who suffer from severe overbite are at greater risk of developing TMJ disorders.
Using Jaw Surgery and Braces to Correct Underbite
Orthognathic surgery, or corrective jaw surgery, is a collaboration between a Singapore oral surgeon, orthodontic specialist and other dental professionals to correct both dental and skeletal issues involved in creating your overbite. Typically, braces will be used to reposition your teeth in preparation for jaw surgery, a process that takes, on average, between six and nine months. Once your orthodontist has your teeth positioned properly to suit well-aligned jaws, the surgical portion of your treatment will be done. Your Singapore oral surgeon, through incisions made inside the mouth to avoid facial scarring, will resize and/or reposition the lower jaw, the upper jaw or both as necessary to correct your underbite. In most cases, after jaw surgery and healing, braces will be necessary for another six to nine months to fine-tune the bite.
While orthognathic surgery for overbite is a long process, severe skeletal overbites generally cannot be fixed without jaw surgery. While treatment with braces can sometimes camouflage them to some extent, using orthodontic treatment alone can result in the teeth being compromised by the extreme repositioning necessary to create an adequate bite and can make the chin even more prominent. On the other hand, addressing the underlying causes of skeletal overbite with jaw surgery can give patients a fully-functional jaw and a greatly improved appearance, results that many patients describe as life-changing.
