Malocclusion of Teeth – Questions and Answers

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Malocclusion is a widely expanded tooth disease. Even if most people have some degree of this dental disorder, it isn’t serious enough to require treatment. Divided into several types, it can be inherited or acquired, prevented or not. Different ways to treat teeth malocclusions are described further to let you know more about it. So, what is a malocclusion?

Malocclusion is a dental problem that consists in teeth misalignment or incorrect relation. It is also called crowded teeth, cross bite, overbite, under bite, and open bite.

What Types (or Classes) of Malocclusion One Can Have?

Edward Angel, in 1899, classified teeth malocclusions into three categories. The first one, called Class I Malocclusion, is the most common. Here the first molars are normal, while other teeth have problems like spacing, crowding, over or under eruption.

The Class II Malocclusion is a situation when the upper molars severely overlap the bottom teeth. The same can happen with jaws. The Class III Malocclusion describes the opposite situation, when the lower front teeth are more prominent then the upper front ones.

What Causes Teeth Malocclusion and Can Malocclusion Be Prevented?

Usually this dental problem is inherited. In this case troubles are caused by too many or too few teeth, too much or too little space between them. Malocclusion can result form irregular mouth and jaw size and shape, from any atypical formations of the jaws and face, such as a cleft palate.

Bad habits, like finger or thumb sucking, or tongue thrusting can produce malocclusion, too. In this case the disease is acquired and it can be prevented. It’s up to parents to control their children’s habits and to consult the orthodontist before the kid is 7 years old. In time measures can lead to appropriate management of the growth of the child’s dental structures, circumventing many of the factors contributing to malocclusion.

Which are Malocclusion Symptoms?

Even if few people have perfect teeth alignment some serious problems are easily seen. Teeth malocclusions may produce pain from high pressure on the oral structures. The person may have affected appearance, speech, or ability to eat. Mouth breathing and inability to keep the lips together is obvious, too. However, for a concrete, individual conclusion the dentist must be consulted.

How is Teeth Malocclusion Treated?

There are several ways to treat a dental malocclusion, but it’s usually done by orthodontists –- special dentists who manage the growth and correction of dental and facial structures. Braces are the most commonly used appliances in malocclusion treatment.

They apply constant gentle force to slowly change the position of the teeth, straightening them and properly aligning them with the opposing teeth. Braces consist of brackets cemented to the surface of each tooth and wires of stainless steel or nickel titanium alloy. When the wires are threaded through the brackets, they exert pressure against the teeth, causing them to move gradually.

Braces can’t be removed. So, the patient must be especially diligent about daily teeth brushing or removing food particles. Crunchy and sticky foods should be avoided. Teeth should be brushed immediately after eating sweets. Special floss threads can be used to make flossing easier.

Another solution of malocclusion treatment is removing one or more teeth. It will allow other teeth occupy a more correct position in the mouth’s space. Rough or irregular teeth may be reshaped, and bonded or capped.

The surgeon may be required, but only on rare occasions. He can reshape the jaw or make it shorter. Some wires, plates, or screws may be used to stabilize the jaw bone, as it’s made in the surgical stabilization of jaw fracture.

Even if malocclusion causes serious appearance, chewing and speaking problems, it can be treated. Pay a visit to your family dentist to check what can be done, or, if you think that you have no troubles with that, check how teeth malocclusion can be prevented.

Be attentive to your child’s habits and keep yourself informed about all possibilities that might happen. Only this way you can be sure about a safe future for your and your child’s healthy teeth.