Malocclusion is a misalignment of the teeth, and while it is not an oral disease, it can cause many of the same pains and difficulties. The term “malocclusion” can refer to a number of conditions. The most common are:
- Upper Protrusion: occurs as the upper front teeth are pushed forward, often a result of thumb-sucking or having a small lower jaw.
- Spacing/Overcrowding Issues: too much or too little room for teeth can cause spacing or overcrowding issues, possibly creating an impaction, which is when the permanent tooth cannot come in properly.
- Misaligned Midline: occurs when the front center line between the upper front teeth do not match up with the center line of the lower front teeth.
- Open Bite: if a patient’s molars fit together but their upper and lower front teeth do not overlap, this creates an opening into the mouth.
- Over Bite: this happens in patients whose upper front teeth reach too far down over the lower front teeth and, in severe cases, can cause the lower teeth to bite into the roof of the mouth.
- Under Bite: this is caused when a patient’s lower front teeth are farther forward than the upper front teeth.
- Cross Bite: a cross bite occurs when any or all the upper teeth fit into the wrong side of the lower teeth.
- Transposition: Transposition occurs when teeth erupt in one another’s places.
Our dentist, Dr. Eudoro Vallejo, will look for any of these malocclusions during a consultation at Advanced Family Dental Care. You can call our office at 201-457-9595. We look forward to improving your oral health!
