Introduction
Achieving a beautiful smile is very difficult especially when you have an orthodontic issue. Your mouth might have an inherent problem or condition but that doesn’t mean that it cannot be corrected. Many dental professionals have made advances in treating any orthodontic problem. Today, correcting an underbite is not as difficult as it was in the past. An underbite is called prognathism. This is simply the ‘bad bite’ that always happens when the lower teeth overlap your upper teeth. The severity of an underbite varies. In a mild underbite, the two rows of teeth almost meet and the condition where the teeth do not meet at all because the gap between them is too wide. Sometimes, you might give people an impression of expressing some kind of emotions that you do not intend to. Because of that, an underbite is a very common condition that many would wish to get rid of. If you have an underbite that you wish to get rid of, be sure to drop by the dentist for a check-up to explore your treatment options. More so, in cases of emergencies, you can fix painful oral issues with General dentist Marlborough for the best services.
What are some of the underbite correctional methods?
Different methods exist in correcting an underbite. You can choose a jaw surgery and other orthodontic treatments. If correct measures are taken when the patient is still young, orthodontic appliances can be the best way to treat all situations. Two appliances can be used in treating underbite for young people. Here are some of them:
Use of the upper jaw expander-This is the first appliance that can be used in correcting an underbite. An upper jaw expander is simply a wire-framed tool that is used in fitting across the patients’ palate. To make it work, a special key will be used to widen the expander every night. Little by little, the process will facilitate the expansion of the upper jaw. Patients with underbites are advised to wear the expander for at least a year. After a year, you can then retain the expander with a retainer.
The reverse-pull face mask – The reverse face mask looks exactly like a braces headgear. The gear is always wrapped around the patient’s head for the sake of pulling the upper jaw back to its correct position. The gear makes good use of metal bands that are fastened to the upper teeth.
For older patients, other methods can be used in correcting the underbite problem or issue. Some of the methods used include maintaining good oral health and using cosmetic approaches.
Cosmetic approach – In mild underbite cases, new cosmetic methods can easily be used to fit veneers and reshape the lower teeth. If this treatment works, it can be very possible to reduce the need to go for surgery.
Maintaining good oral health- It is also possible to correct an underbite with good oral health. You can visit an orthodontic for advice on how to go about it. If the condition is mild and not severe, it can be very easy to correct it with few correctional oral health habits.