by Dr. Rhodora T. Entero, DMD
Reasons to Have Braces
What are the reasons to have braces? Maloccsions or orthodontic problems usually occur when a patient’s teeth or jaws are not in synch together or do not fit accordingly. Orthodontic treatment is implemented to restore the right function, preserve health, improve speech, protect the teeth from trauma, and improve the appearance of the face.
Class 2 bite happens when the upper jaw is overgrown, the lower jaw is undergrown, or a combination of both is existing. Usually, it is one of the common bite problems and is most effectively and efficiently treated while a person is having a growth spurt.
On the other hand, a class 3 bite is an underbite where the lower jaw extending out in front of the upper jaw. This is easy to be visualized where the lower front teeth are in front of the upper front teeth.
Underbites, usually, may lead to premature tooth wear and if not treated, may require surgery to correct.
People are having braces because of spacing. Spacing problems may happen as a result of missing teeth, proportionally, small teeth, and discrepancies on the tooth or jaw. Any of these problems may result in a bite that is not aligned or may lead to improper function.
Crowding happens when teeth erupts and gets insufficient room to erupt from the gum. These cases may lead to avoidance of tooth extractions with the help of timely interventions or management.
Overbite happens when the upper front teeth cover up the lower front teeth with times when the lower front teeth sometimes bite into the roof of the mouth that may cause gum tissue damage.
Openbite may exist when the lower and the upper front teeth do not overlap. This may result in problems in proper chewing or even speech. Overbite may be a result of thumb sucking and impact the jaw and tooth.
Crossbite happens when the upper or lower front teeth are either too wide or too narrow to each other. The problem happens when the upper teeth are sitting not quite well inside of the lower teeth. In turn; it may lead to premature tooth wear and tear and lead to jaw shifts causing in misaligned growth of the jaw.
Another reason to have braces is to correct impacted tooth. It is a permanent tooth that is unable to fully grow to its full potential. Crowding obstruction may cause impacted tooth due to the presence of another tooth, an extra tooth or a tooth growing in the wrong direction.
Any permanent tooth may get impacted but it may usually involve the canines and lower molars. Make sure that when you have an impacted tooth, you have a dentist take care of it, as it may lead to dental problems.