Hello, my name is Dr. Harbpinder Shevchenko from Smiles By The Sea Family Dentistry in Hampton, New Hampshire, and I'm here to answer some of the questions regarding underbite.
What is an underbite and how does it affect my facial structure?
An underbite is essentially—ideally, we want to see your top jaw, top teeth overlapping your bottom teeth like this—but with an underbite, it's actually reversed. Your bottom jaw is placed more forward, and your top jaw is a little bit behind—your top teeth are behind. It could be your jaw, or it could be your teeth, but this is actually what it looks like when someone has an underbite. And how it affects your facial structure is: you will see, as your teeth or your bottom jaw is more aligned forward, a bit of a protrusion of your bottom jaw. In some cases, you might see more protrusion of your chin. So that's essentially how it looks and how the facial structure would appear when someone has an underbite. Obviously, the extent can vary from patient to patient.
How does an underbite compare to the overbite and how are each of them treated?
The difference, or comparison, is that with an underbite—as we talked about before—the bottom jaw is more forward-placed. It could be your jaw, or it could be your teeth. An overbite is actually the reverse: you have more space on your upper teeth, or your upper jaw is more forward. So that is the difference—underbite like this, overbite like this. As for how each of them is treated, depending on the severity of each case, sometimes we can treat it using either Invisalign or traditional braces. In some cases, it might require surgical intervention as well, where your jaw has to be surgically corrected, whether it's the top or the bottom. So those are some of the treatment options for correcting overbite and underbite. But I don't want to go too far into needing to break your jaw or anything, so you know.
What causes the underbite and can it get worse if not handled?
An underbite is essentially when your lower jaw has grown more forward, or your upper jaw has not kept up with the growth of your bottom jaw. It could also be just your tooth positioning. Sometimes, the jaws are aligned well, but the teeth are positioned too far out, which creates an underbite. Or it could actually be that your upper jaw growth isn’t matching the lower one, or your lower jaw had an overgrowth compared to the upper one. So those are some of the causes of an underbite. And like anything else, if it’s not treated, it can get worse. So you want to make sure that as soon as it’s diagnosed, you act on it—whether that means surgical treatment or orthodontic treatment with traditional braces. There are different appliances that can be used. Actually, the earlier we spot it and diagnose it, the easier early intervention can correct the underbite—much easier than in adulthood. So as soon as it’s diagnosed, I recommend going into corrective action. Whether it’s surgery or braces, there are different appliances that can be used to enhance upper jaw growth, slow the growth of the lower jaw, or move the teeth back. Taking action early is the best way to prevent it from getting worse and affecting your bite and facial appearance.
Can Invisalign fix an underbite or are braces a better option?
The answer is—it depends on the case. Whether you're seeing an orthodontist or your general dentist is treating your case, they will evaluate the severity of the underbite. Based on that, Invisalign can correct certain degrees of underbite. So, it depends on the severity of the bite. Invisalign can correct it, traditional braces can correct it, or you might need a combination of the two—or even surgical intervention. So it depends on the case, how severe it is, and what the best way is to treat it.
Are there natural ways to fix an underbite without braces or surgery?
Unfortunately, there are no natural ways to correct an underbite. Either your jaw has already grown too far forward, so there's no natural way to bring it back—or if your teeth are aligned in a way that’s creating the underbite, there’s no natural way to reverse that. Treatment options would include Invisalign, braces, a combination of orthodontic appliances, or surgery. It always involves some kind of treatment to fix the underbite.
How long would it take to fix an underbite with orthodontic treatment?
On average—and this depends on severity—treatment can take anywhere from 1 to 3 years if treated with Invisalign, braces, or a combination of both.
Alright, awesome. I hope I was able to answer most of your questions regarding underbite and various treatments for underbite. If you have any other questions, please feel free to call us.