Bite: how it should look like, signs of violations, the consequences of an incorrect bite

orthopedic dentist, surgeon, implantologist

“Bite is the relationship of the lower and upper tooth rows in full alignment and maximum contact. It is the first parameter that a competent orthodontist evaluates in a child or adult. Basic problems can be detected even by eye: all the doctor has to do is ask the patient to close his or her teeth.

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What should a person’s bite be like?

A normal bite has the following characteristics:

all teeth of the upper and lower jaw are in contact with each other, interlocking with two opposing teeth. The exceptions are the third upper molar and the first lower incisor;
the midline of the face is between the central front teeth;
there are no gaps between teeth and tooth rows;
the upper dental arch has the shape of a semi-ellipse, the lower – a parabola.

There are three types of normal bite, which replace each other throughout life:

Temporary, or in common parlance “milk”. This is what dentists call baby teeth;
replaceable. This is the state of bite, when part of the milk teeth have been replaced by permanent teeth, and part of them are still present;
permanent. All of the teeth are molars.

Problems with a person’s bite can appear at any of the stages, but milk teeth are much easier to influence – both negative and positive. That is why the process of treating anomalies in childhood is faster and easier.

On this basis, a malocclusion is anything that differs from the norm, i.e. a correct bite.

Types of bite

Distal bite. The upper jaw is overdeveloped, while the lower jaw remains small and weak. This causes the upper teeth to overlap the lower teeth. The face takes on a slanted profile where the lips are thin and retracted and the chin often becomes double chin.

There are two types of distal bite:

The incisors are tilted forward;
the incisors are tilted backwards.

Almost always, people with a distal bite have a slouching back and a forward head tilt. This is because in the other position the upper jaw blocks the airway.

Mesial bite. This is a forward protrusion of the lower jaw. It turns out to be more developed than the lower one, so the lower teeth often overlap the upper ones. People with this anomaly have a forward protruding chin, which makes the profile “masculine”. The appearance of the problem is most often associated with the presence of an extra tooth, too large lower teeth or incorrect positioning of the jaw in space (the upper one is in the posterior position or the lower one in the anterior position).

Deep bite. This is a condition where the upper (front) incisors overlap the lower incisors by more than half their height. Partial overlap is normal. The upper incisors are usually larger, so they overlap the lower incisors by a third. In a deep bite, the lower incisors are barely visible.

Open bite. Characterized by a lack of closure. People with an incorrect bite of this kind are easy to recognize: they have a clear distance between the teeth of the upper and lower jaw. Usually, the problem is caused by underdevelopment of incisors, canines or molars, most often the upper front incisors.

Crossbite. This is an anomaly where one of the jaws is narrowed and shifted to the side, causing the teeth to be unable to find their “pair”. People with this anomaly are characterized by a noticeable facial asymmetry.

Causes of malocclusion

Most people believe that an incorrect bite of the teeth happens only in children, but this is an erroneous opinion. In childhood, congenital defects are usually manifested. In adults, the changes are often associated with trauma, improper lifestyle, neglected diseases of the teeth and gums.

In children, the causes of malocclusion are:

trauma sustained during childbirth;
poor heredity and genetic tendency to an irregular jaw shape;
inadequate nutrition of the fetus, which may be related to the mother’s illness;
formation of mouth breathing, which shifts the teeth and prevents the nasal sinuses from fully developing;
improper positioning of the infant during breastfeeding or bottle feeding;
fondness for prolonged sucking of collar, finger, toys, pacifier abuse;
rickets or failures in the metabolic processes of the body, as well as improper nutrition, lack of food with fluoride and calcium;
incorrect sleeping position, sucking a finger while sleeping;
prolonged replacement of temporary teeth with molars and too early onset of tooth replacement.

In adults, the appearance of malocclusion is usually due to one or more causes, such as:

chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, especially affected by constant nasal congestion;
multiple carious lesions of teeth, in which a person does not correctly distribute the load on the jaws when chewing;
improper and deficient nutrition, because of which the teeth do not receive the necessary vitamins and minerals to restore the protective layer of enamel, as well as metabolic failures, in which the body can not extract the necessary trace elements from food. The lack of fluoride and calcium has a particularly negative impact;
trauma to the dento-mandibular system.

At each age, the improper interlocking of teeth affects the human body differently. But if the adult’s influence is often imperceptible, then in a child it can lead to abnormalities in the development of very many systems and organs. That is why it is important to remember what will happen if the bite is not corrected in time.

Effect of bite on posture

Recent studies have proven that improving jaw mobility can relieve tension in the pelvis and vice versa.

In addition, if the hips or jaw are not balanced, there is a good chance that other parts of the body are not as well. How can these two very different ends of the body be connected? The connection begins during embryonic development from day 15.

At this stage, called gastrulation, depressions form on the dorsal side of the embryo that become the oropharyngeal membrane (continues to form the mouth) and the cloacal membrane (continues to form the openings of the urinary, reproductive, and digestive tracts). The spine grows between them, and the two distant parts remain connected from the beginning as a single unit.

In recent years, many scientists have investigated the various factors that influence posture: the feet, the visual systems, and the inner ear. One recent work has shown that the jaw plays a role in posture. These studies show that tension in the jaw can contribute to poor posture, and vice versa.

Thus, the position of your jaw does affect your posture. This is especially true for those who play sports. According to this study, the correlation between improper bite, posture, and balance can have a significant impact on performance.

Consequences of a bad bite

Increased tooth erasure, tooth decay, and tooth loss. In normal chewing, the load is evenly distributed on all teeth. When the bite is misaligned, some teeth are loaded more heavily on some teeth, while others have little or no load. Teeth that are working for two are more likely to wear down enamel, chip, and become loose.
Gum disease. If the bite is incorrect, the teeth may be tilted inward or, conversely, turned to the lips. Eating or even talking traumatizes the inside of the cheeks and tongue. Gums also suffer: the volume of tissue gradually decreases, exposing the roots of the teeth.
Diseases of the temporomandibular joint. Improper positioning of incisors over time leads to displacement of the jaw joints relative to each other. Pathology is accompanied by muscle spasms, bruxism, crunching and clicking while eating or talking.
Diseases of the alimentary tract. The bite is responsible for chewing and swallowing, and its defects disrupt this process. Poorly chopped food is an additional load on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). There is a risk of developing gastritis, enterocolitis and stool problems.
Respiratory problems and ENT diseases. The accumulation of bacteria in the mouth with an open bite can provoke maxillary sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis media, angina.

Methods of bite correction:

Eliners;
trainers;
braces;
surgical intervention.

Eliners

You can correct your bite and uneven teeth by using removable mouthguards, which are created after an intraoral scan of your teeth. The method is suitable for treating uncomplicated irregularities. The mouth guard is one step ahead of the actual position of the teeth in the tooth row. Therefore, after putting it on, the pressure is felt, which is evenly distributed throughout the jaw.

For treatment, a set of mouth guards is made – each of them is designed for two weeks, then it must be replaced by the next, and so on until the final result.

Trainers

Removable silicone mouthguards for two jaws, which help to correct a simple bite or fix the result obtained. The product should be worn while sleeping and during the day for up to four hours.

Veneers

Similar in characteristics to crowns, but they are placed only on the front surface of the tooth in the form of a thin plate on a special dental adhesive. Veneers eliminate defects that occur as a result of cracked or compromised teeth. A visually even tooth row is formed.

For the patient, the result of orthodontic treatment is aesthetics, and for the doctor – functionality. If the teeth are simply crooked, but the bite is perfect, veneers or crowns can be made. In other cases, you can’t do without braces: veneers do not correct the position of the teeth, but only mask their external imperfections.

Bracket system

A system of locks attached to each tooth with glue and a metal arch through them, which moves the teeth in the desired direction due to its shape memory property.

The doctor fixes the arch to the braces with special ligatures. Depending on the task at hand and the necessary force that will act on each tooth and the jaw as a whole, the orthodontist can choose metal or elastic ligatures.