Anthony

Malocclusion is a dental condition where your teeth and bite are misaligned. More often than not the conditions are simply referred to as misaligned or crooked teeth.

Although you may not realize it, there are actually many different types of malocclusion out there. The differences between them can be quite big, and if you know what they are you should be able to easily recognize them when you see them.

Some of the most common types of malocclusion are:

• Overcrowding

By far the most common type of malocclusion and the main reason many adults need braces is overcrowding. As the name suggests this type of malocclusion takes place when there is insufficient space for the teeth to grow out, and as a result they end up growing crooked or overlapping with other teeth.

To treat overcrowding it is sometimes necessary to remove some teeth in order to create space before realigning them with braces.

• Overbite

It may surprise you to know this but the truth is that overbites are very common, it’s just that in most cases they are mild and do not need to be treated. However in cases where the overbite’s upper front teeth actually contact the lower gums it can cause issues and will need to be corrected.

Aside from re-aligning the teeth using braces and tooth extraction, some extreme cases of overbite may require surgery to be rectified.

• Crossbite

In some ways a crossbite is a type of underbite, just it can happen on either side of the jaw as opposed to just the front teeth. A slight crossbite isn’t an issue, but if it is severe and other issues start to develop it will need to be addressed.

Just as with an overbite the most common type of treatment are braces and tooth extraction, but surgery may sometimes be required in extreme cases.

• Spaced teeth

As indicated by its name, spaced teeth really just mean that there are gaps between two (or more) teeth. If it is just two teeth (and more often than not, the upper front teeth) it is referred to as diastema.

To be honest there are many potential causes of spaced teeth including a large mouth structure, small-sized teeth, missing teeth, thumb sucking, and tongue thrusting. Technically treatment isn’t necessary in most cases unless other issues develop, but many people opt to use braces to straighten them for aesthetic reasons.

• Impacted teeth

Normally a tooth is ‘impacted’ when there isn’t enough room for it in your mouth and as a result it is unable to break through. In many cases a tooth is ‘partially impacted’ – meaning that it has broken through but only part of it can surface. If left untreated impacted teeth can increase the risk of cavities and infection, as well as end up crowding other teeth.

The treatment for impacted teeth vary, but in some cases they may need to be extracted or exposed and then corrected using braces.

Make no mistake aside from the 5 types of malocclusion listed above there are many others such as underbites, overjets, missing teeth, open bites, and so on. Despite being less common, if you suspect your alignment is off for any reason you should still make an appointment with orthodontics Bristol.

It should be noted that even in minor cases of malocclusion that don’t technically need to be corrected – there are benefits to fixing the alignment. If nothing else you’ll end up feeling a whole lot more confident in your smile if your teeth are perfectly straight, and that counts for a lot.

 

People often assume that crooked or misaligned teeth are a purely cosmetic issue, but that really is not the case. The fact of the matter is that it is a condition known as malocclusion, and it can actually impact your oral health in many ways.

Suffice to say there are a lot more benefits to getting braces and straightening your teeth than you may realize, and some of the most important are:

• Makes teeth easier to brush and floss

Crooked teeth are not easy to brush and floss, and more often than not there will be some areas that aren’t covered. As a result plaque will eventually build up and you’ll run the risk of cavities, gum disease, and a host of other issues.

By straightening your teeth, you’ll make them much easier to clean. That is especially true if they are no longer overcrowded, and floss can fit into the gaps more easily.

• Allows food to be chewed more thoroughly

If your teeth are misaligned it will affect your actions when you chew food, and make it more difficult to chew it into small pieces. In fact you may end up with more food particles stuck between your teeth as a result too.

Once your teeth are straight you shouldn’t have that issue. It may help to improve your digestion too, seeing as chewing food into smaller pieces will let you digest it more quickly and easily.

• Avoids wear and tear on teeth

Teeth that are properly aligned don’t suffer as much wear and tear when biting and chewing. If you suffer from malocclusion the distribution of stress when you bite and chew won’t be as even, and some parts of your teeth will gradually start to wear down.

Over time this can cause your teeth to chip, crack, or compromise the biting surface and make it flat. However if you fix your smile you should be able to avoid most wear and tear.

• Reduces risk of jaw issues

In addition to straining your teeth, a bad bite can actually put more pressure on your entire jaw too – which can cause other issues. Although less common, in the long term the strain can affect the joints of your jaw and lead to jaw pain, ear aches, headaches, and so on.

Fixing the bite is the first step towards solving that problem. On top of that it will reduce the risk of your jawbone eroding due to bacteria eating into the bone.

• Helps improve speech

Many speech impediments actually stem from malocclusion, especially if you have a lisp or you inadvertently make whistling sounds when trying to say certain words. However it should be noted that not all speech disorders are caused by malocclusion, so it is no guarantee that straightening your teeth will fix it.

Suffice to say if you have a speech impediment and suffer from malocclusion, you should visit an orthodontist and ask them if it is related.

Starting to see the benefits of straightening your teeth? At times rectifying your malocclusion could really end up being life changing – which is why you should definitely consider it carefully.

On your part you may want to go over the different types of treatment that are available, and ask your orthodontist for advice. If you’d prefer a treatment that isn’t that visible you could ask them about Invisalign Birmingham, or other subtle types of braces.

At the end of the day the best option to straighten your teeth will vary depending on many factors. That is why it is crucial that you talk to your orthodontist beforehand and know what your options are.

 

Dental anxiety is very common, but its severity can vary quite a bit from one person to the next. In fact it is a lot more common than most people realize, and about 60% of people have dental anxiety while 5% to 10% have dental phobia.

While there are many ways that you can try to cope with dental anxiety, the first step that you should take is to understand the problem. It often helps if you’re able to isolate the root cause of your anxiety, and tackle it from there.

Make no mistake that may be easier said than done in some cases seeing as dental anxiety can be caused by many different triggers. That being said, some of the more common causes of dental anxiety are:

• Previous traumatic dental experience or healthcare experience

Many cases of dental anxiety stem from a previous traumatic experience either in the dentist’s office or some other healthcare-related location. The most common is a painful experience in the past that causes a fear of pain during future dental appointments.

Although modern dental procedures may not be as painful as they were in the past, it may not help to alleviate the anxiety that is felt.

• Embarrassment at the invasion of personal space

The anxiety that some people feel when they are going for a dental appointment stems from embarrassment due to the close physical proximity of the dentist. The fact that the dentist will be literally right in their face and staring into their mouth can make them feel as though their personal space is being invaded.

At times this problem is exacerbated feelings of shame and self-consciousness due to poor oral hygiene, bad breath, or physical appearance. That reaction can be especially pronounced for people with self-esteem issues to begin with.

• Fear of losing control and feeling helpless

When you’re lying in the dental chair with your mouth wide open and the dentist is prodding around without you being able to see anything – it is normal to feel helpless. Many people do not like that however, and some will definitely feel anxious because of the loss of control.

In such cases one of the best ways around it is to have the dentist explain what they’re doing. Although it won’t make you feel more in control, it will at very least make you feel a little less helpless.

• Fear of needles and injections

Lots of people are dead scared of needles and injections, and having a shot in your mouth is bound to be terrifying for them. Unfortunately it is one of the hardest fears to deal with, especially if it is a severe reaction that causes you to panic at the sight of needles.

The good news is that dentists are trained to cope with fear of needles, so if you talk to your Chester dentist they may be able to propose an alternative. If possible they may use a different type of local anesthetic instead.

Do you feel that your dental anxiety stems from one of the causes listed above? If it does then you can start to try to figure out how to address it, and if it doesn’t you should continue to look at other possibilities.

All said and done your goal should be to ensure that dental anxiety does not get in your way. The last thing that you want is for your dental anxiety to affect your oral health, and lead to issues in the long term. Simply put – you must not let your dental anxiety cause you to skip dental appointments or refuse treatment.