Top 5 Problems You’ll Have with a Bad Bite
You’re not born with a bad bite or misaligned teeth, you develop it through certain terrible habits at a young age, such as thumb sucking and pacifier overuse. Your dental history also leads to a bad bite. Missing tooth can cause teeth misalignment. An illness involving the mouth or jaw also creates a bad bite.
Beyond an Altered Look
A bad bite comes in several forms: over bite, under bite, deep bite, widely spaced teeth, and overcrowded teeth. Your facial profile will appear different with a bad bite, but that’s not the only effect. Here are five more problems you’ll experience with a bad bite:
1. Eating difficulties
You’ll find it hard to chew food. Apart from wearing your teeth down unevenly, misaligned teeth also cause digestive problems. Some people even avoid certain types of food just to get around the problem.
2. Chronic jaw pain or TMJ
A temporomandibular joint disorder causes jaw joint pain and creates problems in the muscles that control your jaw’s movement. You’ll also feel pain in and around your ears. You may also find it hard to open or close your mouth.
Since TMJ affects your muscles, you’ll also experience continual headaches or migraines. The pain will usually occur in the morning. TMJ could also affect your back muscles.
3. Tooth decay
A bad bite can create the right conditions for tooth decay. Overcrowded teeth can make brushing and flossing a challenge. Some food particles could remain between teeth, allowing the decay-producing acid to thrive in your mouth.
4. Periodontal disease
Tooth decay could lead to periodontal disease, such as gingivitis.
5. Speech problems
Some people may develop a lisp and other speech problems with a bad bite.
Clearly, attending to a bad bite is not just about improving your appearance. Many people choose Invisalign aligners as a treatment for misaligned teeth. The removable ‘invisible’ aligner, MiSmile share, has worked for three million patients, with some detailing their experiences on personal blogs.
Severe bad bites, though, may require surgery instead of orthodontic treatment. A surgical procedure can reshape or shorten the jaw. Wires or plates may also help stabilise the jaw bone.
Whether you have an over bite or overcrowded teeth, correcting it today can save you multiple dental problems in the future. Ask your dentist about your options.
