You may already be familiar with different dental conditions like cavities, tooth decay, bad breath, cracked or broken teeth, and gum infections. But have you ever heard about overbite or buck teeth? If not, here’s everything you need to know about it.
What Is It?
Buck teeth is a condition in which there is a vertical overlap or horizontal gap between the bottom and the front teeth. So if your upper jaw sits over your lower teeth, then you might have such a dental problem.
The two main types of buck teeth are dental and skeletal. What sets the two apart is that the former is characterized by teeth alignment problems, while the latter is distinguished by irregularities in the jawbone.
Why Is It a Problem?
Some people with buck teeth don’t want to treat the dental condition. But dentists advise not to ignore it because it can lead to serious health issues. These include breathing challenges, cavities, eating difficulties, gum disease, pain when chewing, speech disorders, and temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
What Causes It?
People have buck teeth for different reasons. Some individuals inherit it from their parents. They are either born with an uneven jaw, or a small upper or lower jaw. Meanwhile, others get it from certain habits like thumb-sucking or tongue thrusting. Teeth problems (missing teeth, impacted teeth, or extra teeth) and cysts and tumors of the jaw or mouth may also cause buck teeth.
How Is It Fixed or Treated?
There are plenty of treatment methods that dentists use to fix buck teeth. For children, they may recommend tooth extraction or the usage of braces, retainers, and palate expanders. Depending on the cause and severity of the buck teeth, dentists may also use braces, tooth extraction, and even surgery in adults.
Can Invisalign Aligners Fix Buck Teeth?
Patients with mild or moderate cases of buck teeth can be treated with Invisalign aligners. For example, if the protrusion is up to 2mm (mild malocclusion), dentists may use Invisalign to create more space for the upper teeth to move backwards, or move the lower teeth forward.
Do You Have Buck Teeth? Contact Pillar Dental Today!
If you have buck teeth, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the dentists at Pillar Dental right away. We provide quality and effective dental treatments for overbite. Call us now to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our services. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and assisting you with your needs.