Health Manipulation

Malocclusion is the improper alignment of the upper and lower teeth. There are different types of malocclusion. Here are 10 of them:

1. Diastema or a Space Between Two Teeth

This type occurs because of the following:

a. Jaw is too large.

b. Teeth are small.

c. There are missing teeth.

d. It is a natural development of the teeth (for some people).

2. Crowding Problems

This is the opposite of spacing problems. This time, there is not enough space for all the teeth to fit within the mouth. This may occur due to a disharmony of the number, shape and size of teeth in relation to jaw size.

3. Upper Protrusion or Overjet

In this type, the upper front teeth stick out; hence, there is a space between the upper and lower teeth when the person is biting. Some of the possible reasons include:

a. Thumb sucking

b. Use of pacifier beyond age 3

c. Prolonged use of bottle for feeding

d. Nail, pen or pencil biting

4. Midline Asymmetry or Dental Midline

The midline is the vertical groove located between the base of the nose, and the top of the upper lip. Normally, the upper and front teeth should be in alignment with the midline. However, skeletal or dental deviations can cause the shift of either the upper or lower front teeth away from the midline.

5. Cross Bite

This is when the lower tooth/teeth is/are placed inside the upper tooth/teeth. Cross bites can affect one tooth only or multiple teeth. It can be in front of the mouth (anterior cross bite) or at the back of the mouth (posterior cross bite). It can also be classified as buccal cross bite, meaning it is near the cheeks, or lingual cross bite, which means it is near the tongue.

6. Open Bite

In this type, there is the presence of a gap or space between the upper and lower front teeth. The probable causes of this condition are tongue thrusting, and wrong posture of the tongue and mandible.

7. Overbite

There is a vertical overlap (more than 5 mm) of the central incisors of the upper teeth over the central incisors of the lower teeth. In severe cases, the lower teeth can reach the roof of the mouth. This could be because of irregular spacing of the teeth, or due to a congenital misplacement of the maxilla.

8. Under Bite

As the opposite of overbite, there is overlap of the lower teeth over the upper teeth. The lower jaw becomes prominent. Severe cases of this type can be managed through surgery on the jaws, extraction of teeth and use of braces.

9. Rotation

There is displacement of the tooth or teeth from the long axis. This would create an alteration in contact with the adjacent teeth.

10. Transposition

There is an anomaly in the position of one or more teeth.

Invisalign will correct a wide range of these teeth straightening issues. To learn more, contact a provider of Invisalign in Annapolis, MD.