Hi, it's Mia Armonde here to talk to you about family dentistry. As my small family grew into a large one, I found myself at the dental office on a regular basis. Every six months, the kids would go into the dentist for a cleaning or repairs to their teeth. During that time, I took an interest in the various ways the dental tools were evolving. Tools used in the dental industry have grown in leaps and bounds in the last few decades. For example, my kids went from hearing the dental drill to wearing headphones that completely canceled out the sound. Each time we go back into the dentist, I take a close look at the improvements that have arisen since the last visit. The results are astounding. I will cover my findings on this site, so you can also enjoy the improvements to dental tools and techniques.
Your smile is one of the first things other people notice about you. People that don't know you often look at your smile and judge you based on its appearance. Keeping your smile looking bright and healthy is important if you want to make a positive impression. Dental issues like an open bite can have a negative effect on the way your smile appears. Fixing this issue can restore your smile and help you make a positive influence.
What's an Open Bite?
An open bite is known as a dental disorder. An individual who suffers from an open bite will have front, lower and upper teeth that do not touch, preventing a proper bite. Instead, they thrust outwards towards the lips.
Even when the individual closes their mouth, their teeth still won't touch each other. In some people, this disorder is genetic and for others, excessive tongue thrusting and thumbing sucking can increase their risk factor. A dental provider, like the ones you might find at Port Orchard Dental Care Center, will be able to better assess how this condition began for an individual.
Risk Factors
Primarily, people think of an open bite as a cosmetic issue. However, this disorder can cause additional problems, such as thermo-mandibular joint disorder (TMJ). TMJ is a serious dental concern effecting the temporomandibular joint. This joint is the hinge that attaches the bones in your skull to your jaw, allowing it to freely move up and down so that you can yawn, chew and talk freely.
When you have an open bite, only your rear teeth connect. Each time they connect this puts excess pressure on the area. This pressure is often transferred to the temporomandibular joint, leading to damage. Once damaged, any time you move this area, you will experience discomfort.
Treatment Options
In order to improve the look of your smile and decrease your risk of TMJ, it's important that you have the open bite treated. A relatively painless and easy option is Invisalign. In a nutshell, Invisalign is a treatment that works like invisible braces.
When worn as prescribed, this treatment works to slowly shift the direction of your teeth. For an overbite, this method shifts the teeth inward until both the lower and upper teeth are aligned. How long it takes for this treatment to take effect depends on how significant the condition is.
You have the power to improve your smile. If you have an overbite, speaking with your dental provider is the first step to a more beautiful and healthy smile.
Share12 March 2015
