An underbite is caused by genetics, meaning there isn’t anything you can do to prevent them. But, just because you can’t prevent it, doesn’t mean you have to live with it!
An underbite happens when a person’s lower jaw extends further than the upper jaw and affects about 10% of the population. If you have an underbite, you may experience difficulty enunciating certain letters, a droopy smile, difficulty chewing, jaw pain, and potentially TMJ.
Fortunately, there are several treatment options available to bring the upper and lower jaw into the proper alignment.
Correcting an Underbite
- Upper Jaw Expander – this device is placed on the roof of the mouth and widened each night as the treatment progresses. As the size of the dental arch increases, the upper and lower jaw are brought into alignment.
- Reverse Pull Face Mask – this resembles headgear as it wraps around the head and attaches to metal bands on the back of the upper teeth in order to pull the jaw forward.
- Chin Cap – this device wraps around the chin and lower jaw to prevent it from growing and expanding out further.
- Braces and veneers – mild underbites can be corrected using braces or veneers.
If none of those treatments present a viable option, surgery can be performed to correct the underbite. Generally, braces will be necessary after to keep teeth in alignment until the mouth adjusts. As the jaw becomes fully-formed in adulthood, bite issues become more difficult to correct, requiring surgery as an option versus the non-surgical options.
If you have an underbite, no matter how severe, our team at Advanced Dentistry can help development a treatment plan. Call us today at (610) 489-5555
