Your teeth seem straight, but your dentist says you may need to consult an orthodontist because of a “bad bite.” What does that mean? What does a normal bite look like?
The ideal bite is about more than whether your teeth are straight. The perfect bite teeth are aligned in the front and the back and fit together a certain way when biting or chewing your food. If you don’t have the perfect bite, you could be susceptible to more tooth decay, digestive problems, breathing issues, and even speech impediments.
Ohana Orthodontics can give you that ideal bite with treatment options such as braces or Invisalign. We can fix bite problems that can lead to jaw pain, headaches, excessive tooth wear, and other issues. What is the ideal teeth alignment? Let’s find out!
What Should Teeth Look Like?
Your upper and lower teeth are designed to fit a certain way. It’s about more than just being straight, though straight teeth are a part of the ideal “perfect bite” teeth alignment. It’s also about how the teeth fit together when they’re closed and how the upper and lower jaws are properly aligned.
Teeth that are perfectly aligned are better at chewing. The upper and lower molars match up, allowing the cusps (pointed parts) of the upper teeth to rest in the valleys of the lower teeth. The upper teeth are made to slide in front of the lower teeth so they don’t clash when biting.
A healthy bite does more than make chewing and digestion easier. Proper teeth and jaw alignment make it easier for you to breathe and keep your tongue in place, preventing problems like snoring or sleep apnea. Proper tongue placement and straight teeth also make speech easier.
Perfect Teeth Bite Alignment
Here is how your teeth should look and fit together, starting from the front and working your way back. If you’re unsure whether your teeth match this description, consult an orthodontist like Ohana Orthodontics.
Perfect Teeth Bite Front View
Look at your front teeth when you smile. Ideally, your upper teeth should overlap the lower teeth and sit about three-fourths of the way down your lower front teeth. You should still be able to see the lower part of your lower teeth. If you don’t, you may have a deep bite.
Check out the lines between your central incisors. The line between the upper central incisors should line up with the center line of the lower central incisors. A skewed midline could be a sign of jaw misalignment.
Your upper jaw should also be slightly wider than your lower jaw, so your upper teeth should sit slightly outside your lower jaw when you smile. When you smile, the bottom of your upper teeth should line up with your lower lip.
Perfect Teeth Bite Side View
The side view should show your molars fitting within each other with no gaps or cusps clashing. Your upper front teeth should sit only slightly forward of your lower front teeth, but they should overlap.
If your upper teeth have a large space between them and your lower teeth, you may have an overbite. If your lower teeth sit in front of your upper teeth, you have an underbite. Both of these need correcting with orthodontic care.
Perfect Teeth Bite Top View
How should your teeth look if you look down on them from above? This is the “top view” of your teeth. You should see your teeth perfectly aligned, with each corner of the upper crown (top) of your tooth touching the corner of the next tooth on either side. You shouldn’t see any gaps between the teeth, nor should you see any teeth twisted or in front of or behind other teeth.
Gapped teeth and crowded teeth can be corrected with braces or clear aligners. Gapped teeth or crooked teeth are harder to keep clean, which could increase the chances of tooth decay and gum disease.
These views may be hard to see just by looking in the mirror. You can always pull out your smartphone and take a few pictures to see how your teeth are lined up!
What Causes a Bad Bite?
What if you don’t have the ideal bite? What causes your teeth to become misaligned? There are several possible causes. Some can be prevented, while others can’t. But nearly all can be fixed with proper orthodontic care.
Here are some causes of a misaligned bite.
- Hereditary: In some cases, dental problems are inherited, such as a small jaw that causes crowded teeth or a larger lower jaw that can cause an underbite. You may also inherit teeth that grow larger or smaller than the other teeth.
- Pacifier Use or Thumbsucking: Using a pacifier or sucking a thumb past about age 2 can cause the jaws to develop misshapen.
- Tongue Thrust: A tongue-thrusting habit can push the upper teeth forward, causing an overbite or an open bite.
- Bruxism: Also known as teeth grinding, this habit sometimes happens in a person’s sleep. It can not only damage the teeth themselves, but it can also move the teeth, causing a crossbite.
- Injury or Abnormality: Injury to the teeth or jaws from an accident can damage the teeth and also affect the development of the jaws, especially if it happens when the child is young. Abnormalities such as a cleft palate can also cause changes in your bite.
- Missing Teeth: Teeth missing due to genetics, injury, or extraction can cause other teeth to move out of place, creating gaps between teeth. If the missing teeth are primary teeth (baby teeth), the movement of other teeth could leave too little space for erupting permanent teeth, causing crowded teeth.
Creating the Ideal Bite in Canby, OR
Do you have an ideal bite? If you don’t, Ohana Orthodontics in Canby, OR, can fix whatever dental problems you may have with braces or Invisalign. Schedule an appointment for a thorough examination to determine whether you need braces or Invisalign.
An ideal bite will give you a straight, beautiful smile, but it will also improve your oral health and overall health. See what Ohana Orthodontics can do for your smile!