Your smile looks great but your dentist tells you to see an orthodontist to correct your bite. But why?
As the upper and lower teeth strike together while chewing or talking, you want an evenly dispersed amount of pressure. When there’s an uneven amount of pressure, one tooth touches another before the rest of the teeth. This uneven wear can cause a range of problems, including:
Chips, cracks and cavities
Headaches, tension in your neck and jaw
Clenching, grinding, TMJ disorders
Speech impediments
Damage to the root and/or bone loss
Hypersensitive teeth
Sleep apnea
And that list applies to both children and adults. The good news is that uneven bites (called malocclusion in our world) can be fixed, often with braces and/or dental appliances.
Some patients find that after their bite is corrected, they did not realize how uncomfortable they were before. So don’t ignore or put off getting your child’s or your own bite fixed — you want those teeth to last a lifetime.
This smile is brought to you by:
Wade L. Haslam, DMD, PC
2657 NW Rolling Green Drive Corvallis | 541.757.2440 valleyvieworthodontics.com
