Introduction
A healthy, aesthetic dentition is characterized by the fact that the teeth are symmetrical to each other. The incisors interlock like scissors and the cheek teeth are arranged like gear wheels. Such a tooth position ensures optimal conditions for chewing and speaking.
In addition, the teeth should stand straight next to each other without much space between them and should not overlap. They should form a harmonious overall picture with the entire jaw and face. Such a jaw is the ideal of today’s society, but in fact only about one in twenty has such a set of teeth. About 60% of children and adolescents show more or less severe forms of tooth and/or jaw malpositions. While some of these malocclusions are congenital, most are caused by external factors, such as thumb-sucking.
What types of jaw malocclusions are there?
Not every jaw malposition is the same, there are different types of maldevelopment of the dentition or jaw. Among the most common reasons for which orthodontic treatment is necessary are cross bite, open bite, overbite, prebite, different types of crowding, gap bite, overbite and deep bite. The cross bite is by far the most common jaw malocclusion, it can affect individual teeth or the entire jaw.
The cross bite is characterized by the fact that the teeth of the lower jaw lie in front of the teeth of the upper jaw when biting together. A frequent reason for the lower teeth biting in front of the upper teeth is a too small palate due to inhibited growth in the upper jaw. To remedy the cross bite, the growth of the upper jaw must first be stimulated.
This is done by expanding the palate. An open bite is mainly caused in toddlers, by frequent thumb sucking or too long use of soothers. A maldevelopment of the jaw causes gaps between the front teeth of the upper and lower jaw.
Furthermore, two types of open bite can be distinguished.
- In one case the lower jaw closes in front of the upper jaw (so-called mesial bite)
- In the other case the upper jaw closes in front of the lower jaw (so-called distal bite).
In patients who suffer from overbite (prognathism) as a jaw malposition, the size of the lower jaw does not match the size of the upper jaw. In most cases, the upper jaw is relatively too large, so that the front teeth are positioned far in front of the lower jaw when closing the jaw.
The overbite as jaw malocclusion is often called progeny and is the opposite of the overbite. In patients suffering from a pre-bite, the lower jaw is too pronounced in relation to the upper jaw, the front teeth are positioned in front of those of the upper jaw. The overbite is better known as “deep bite” and is characterized by a too steep position of the upper front teeth. For this reason the teeth of the lower jaw are completely covered by the front teeth of the upper jaw when biting together.