The other name of buck teeth are overbite or malocclusion. Buck teeth are a misalignment of teeth that can lead to severe problems. Buck teeth are caused when the upper teeth horizontally overlap the lower front teeth.
Many people who have buck teeth choose to live with them and do not want to get them treated, but some people prefer to treat the overbite for cosmetic reasons like the face appearance, jaw shape, or many more.
However, it is important to get buck teeth treated because they might damage other teeth, gums, or the tongue.
Buck teeth are normal in current time. So, do not feel bad or conscious about your teeth or your looks, just focus on getting good treatment mentioned in the below post.
Buck teeth causes
Buck teeth can be caused due to many reasons; some of them are:
Sucking thumb
The people who suck the thumb in childhood mostly have buck teeth; thumb-sucking is referred to as non-nutritive sucking behavior (NNSB), which simply means that sucking the thumb does not provide any nutrition.
The pressure created by the sucking thumb or fingers causes the permanent teeth to come at an abnormal angle and thus causes overbite or buck teeth.
Pacifier
Sucking on a pacifier is another form of non-nutritive sucking behavior (NNSB). It can also cause an overbite jaw, the same as the sucking thumb.
According to the Journal of the American dental association’s research, pacifiers have a higher risk of developing malocclusions than the sucking thumb or fingers.
Tongue-thrusting
When the tongue is pressed too far forward in the mouth, tongue thrust occurs, and it results in an “open bite,” which causes the “overbite jaw.”
It can also occur by swollen adenoids, tonsils, or by poor swallowing habits.
Genetics
Some people naturally have an uneven jaw or a small upper or lower jaw. An overbite jaw or prominent front teeth mostly comes from heredity.
If your mother, father, or any of the siblings has buck teeth, then there are high chances that you will also have buck teeth or an overbite jaw.
Missing teeth, extra teeth, and impacted teeth
Spacing and crowding of teeth can also change the alignment of front teeth and cause overbite.
Space in the teeth allows remaining teeth to shift over time and affect the position of front teeth, and crowding in teeth causes alignment issues which creates overbite causes.
Tumors and cysts of the mouth or jaw
Tumors and cysts in the jaw change the structure and position of teeth and also change the shape of the mouth and jaw.
A tumor or cyst in the mouth can create several problems like swelling, soft tissues or bony tissues in the upper part of the mouth and jaw, pain, or lumps in the mouth.
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Overbite health risks
Overbite jaw can lead to many severe health issues like:
Speech impediments:
Due to irregular positioning of upper and lower teeth, an overbite can cause speech difficulties.
Breathing problems:
An overbite can make it difficult to breathe through the nose and might lead to habitual mouth breathing as the sinuses and airways are closer to the mouth.
Chewing deficiency:
Various chewing problems can be caused by the overbite, which can lead to poor digestion.
Damage other teeth and gums:
An overbite can cause severe damage to other teeth or gums and can lead to diseases like tooth decaying, bleeding gum, or worn tooth enamel.
Pain in chewing and biting:
Due to improper alignment of teeth, sometimes buck teeth can cause pain while biting.
Alteration in the appearance of the face:
The non-regular shape of teeth due to buck teeth can affect the shape of the mouth and thus can alter the appearance of the face.
Buck teeth treatment
Since overbite causes many problems, it is very important to get a good treatment to fix overbite but make sure to get the treatment from a dentist or orthodontist only.
A dentist or orthodontist determines the structure of the teeth and jaw and decides which treatment would be better for you.
Some common treatments dentists or orthodontist follow to fix buck teeth are:
Braces
Braces or retainers are the most common and easy way to fix an overbite or to move the teeth in the right direction.
Generally, braces put pressure on the teeth, due to which the roots of the teeth start moving in the right direction. There are many types of braces available, like metal braces, clear braces, and many more.
However, it takes around 1-1.5 years to give good results, but it is the most efficient and effective way to fix an overbite jaw.
Read more- Complete Guide On Different Types Of Braces
Palate expansion
This treatment is used for treating overbite in children or adolescents whose upper jaw is too small to accommodate adult teeth.
The palate expander gets attached to the upper molars by using a special appliance that consists of two pieces.
These expanders expand screws and move the piece apart gradually to widen the palate.
Invisalign
These are used for treating minor malocclusions in teenagers and adults. In this, clear aligners are used for two years.
Clear aligners are a type of braces, but it does not include any wire or brackets and just require a plastic cap made according to the shape of the teeth.
However, clear aligners are expensive as compared to other types of braces.
Jaw surgery
If you are not getting good results by trying the above method, then you can go for
+jaw surgery, it will surely help you to fix an overbite jaw.
Make sure you concern yourself with your doctor before getting jaw surgery.
Say No to home treatment
Overbite can not be fixed at home. Only dentists or orthodontists can fix them by giving treatments like braces, palate expansion, Invisalign, or the jaw surgery.
Changing the alignment of teeth requires pressure and precision, which can not be possible to do at home.
So, do not try to fix buck teeth at home.
Living with overbite
Though it is always recommended to get your buck teeth treated, for people who don’t want to get it treated for now, here are few practices you can follow to keep the teeth healthy:
- Maintain a good oral hygiene
- Have regular dentist appointments
- To avoid tongue thrust, use the mouth guard
- Use mouth guard while practicing any sports activity
Read more- Ever Heard About Tooth Piercing?
The takeaway
Buck teeth are a common dental problem.
Many People who have overbite or buck teeth do not get any treatment, due to which they might have to face many mouth problems in the future, as mentioned above.
So, if you have an overbite, make sure to visit the dentist or orthodontist immediately and get it fixed.
