Neutrocclusion

Neutrocclusion (Class 1, Angle) happens when teeth are properly aligned, but when biting lower teeth finish 1-2mm behind upper teeth. Neutrocclusion can happen along with crowding, spacing or upper front teeth protrusion.

Distocclusion (overbite)

Distocclusion (retrocclusion, Class 2, Angle) is the most common malocclusion type. In this case lower jaw is pushed back leaving a gap between lower and upper incisors. Possible concequences are:

  • Deep bite: Lower incisors touch and hurt gum tissue in the roof of the mouth.

  • Injuries: The risk of incisors being hurt (for example during physical activity) is real due                    to lips not being able to protect them because of their misposition.

  • Crowding: Dental arches collapse because they can not properly support each other.

  • Clenching teeth/temporomandibular joint disorder: When upper jaw overlaps the lower one, jaw itself suffers a lot of unneeded pressure. This can lead to jaw popping or even to painful trismus.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

Steep bite

Steep bite (Class 2, division 2, Angle) is a special type of retrocclusion where upper front incisors have grown towards inside of the mouth, while the others have typically grown towards the front. Possible concequences are:

  • Deep bite: Lower front incisors grow further up towards the gum in the roof of the mouth hurting the tissue.

  • Injuries: The risk of incisors being hurt (for example during physical activity) is real due to lips not being able to protect them because of their misposition.

  • Crowding: Dental arches collapse because they can not properly support each other.

  • Clenching teeth/temporomandibular joint disorder: When upper jaw overlaps the lower one, jaw itself suffers a lot of unneeded pressure. This can lead to jaw popping or even to painful trismus.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

Mesioccluison (underbite)

This is a less often type of malocclusion where lower jaw positions itself in front of the upper jaw. Cutting edges of incisors sometimes touch each other, or lower happened to be in front of upper incisors which is known as crossbite. Possible concequences are:

  • Edges of the front incisors are very close to each other which leads to fast attrition, or they completely miss each other but in a wrong way. This type of malocclusion leads to fast tooth enamel attrition.

  • Clenching teeth/temporomandibular joint disorder: When upper jaw overlaps the lower one, jaw itself suffers a lot of unneeded pressure. This can lead to jaw popping or even to painful trismus.

  • Spacing: There is usually a gap between teeth.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

Crossbite

In this case molars overlap each other. Crossbite can be one-sided or, on both sides, or even a case with front teeth (see mesiocclusion). Possible concequences are:

  • Facial asymmetry: If not treated on time, one-sided crossbite can lead to impropper development of the lower jaws. In that case, dental arches lose their symmetry.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

  • Clenching teeth/temporomandibular joint disorder: When upper jaw overlaps the lower one, jaw itself suffers a lot of unneeded pressure. This can lead to jaw popping or even to painful trismus.

Open bite

Open bite means that lower and upper incisors do not establish contact even with mouth fully closed. In some extreme cases only teeth that do touch each other are molars. Possible concquences are:

  • Long face syndrome: Due to vertical overgrowth of the lower jaws, face can appear to be much longer.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

  • Clenching teeth/temporomandibular joint disorder: When upper jaw overlaps the lower one, jaw itself suffers a lot of unneeded pressure. This can lead to jaw popping or even to painful trismus.

  • Cutting troubles: Patients are not able to cut the food with their front teeth, such as lettuce or a thin piece of ham. Also, the overall chewing ability is significantly decreased.

Bimaxillary protrusion

Bimaxillary protrusion means that upper and lower front teeth are forwards in relation to their dental bases. In this case molars should be pushed further back so more space is given to the front teeth, or tooth extraction is needed. Frequently with adults this type of protrusion happens due to gum inflammation (involving the loss of alveolar bone). Possible concequences are:

  • Spacing: There is usually a gap between teeth.

  • Gum recession: Teeth moving away from alveolar bone lead to gum recession obvious to eye in just few years span.

Crowding

When teeth are crowded, front teeth are usually mispositioned or crossed, sometimes some teeth are even behind one another. Possible concequences are:

  • Bigger risks for dental caries: Crowding makes oral hygiene very hard to maintain, leaving good grounds for caries to appear, gum inflammation or tooth discolorization.

  • Gum recession: Teeth moving away from alveolar bone lead to gum recession obvious to eye in just few years span.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

Spacing

Teeth with empty spaces inbetween affect aesthetics of your face. Spacing problems caused by tooth extraction should be treated as soon as possible due to other teeth tend to take up unused space. Any future dentist therapies can be affected if you have not seen your orthodontist first. Bridges or implants can treat these problems. Possible concequences are:

  • Tooth migration: Teeth can start moving freely since they lack support from each other.

  • Gum recession: Teeth moving away from alveolar bone lead to gum recession obvious to eye in just few years span.

  • Attrition (erosion) of teeth: Teeth not being alligned well against each other, they erode one another. It has been a very common case of young people having their dental crowns look like almost eaten.

  • Empty space in the back of the mouth: If not treated, spacing can lead to new teeth rising in empty spaces of your mouth, that can negatively affect bite.