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: Teeth may be aligned poorly because the
dental arch is small and/or the teeth are large. The bone and gums
over the roots of extremely crowded teeth may become thin and recede
as a result of severe crowding. Impacted teeth (teeth that should
have come in, but have not), poor biting relationships and undesirable
appearance may all result from crowding.
:
Upper front teeth that protrude beyond normal contact with the lower
front teeth are prone to injury, often indicate a poor bite of the
back teeth (molars), and may indicate an unevenness in jaw growth.
Commonly, protruded upper teeth are associated with a lower jaw that
is short in proportion to the upper jaw. Thumb and finger sucking
habits can also cause a protrusion of the upper incisor teeth.
: A deep overbite or deep bite occurs when the lower incisor
(front) teeth bite too close or into the gum tissue behind the upper
teeth. When the lower front teeth bite into the palate or gum tissue
behind the upper front teeth, significant bone damage and discomfort
can occur. A deep bite can also contribute to excessive wear of the
incisor teeth.
: An open bite results when
the upper and lower incisor teeth do not touch when biting down.
This open space between the upper and lower front teeth causes all
the chewing pressure to be placed on the back teeth. This excessive
biting pressure and rubbing together of the back teeth makes chewing
less efficient and may contribute to significant tooth wear.
:
If teeth are missing or small, or the dental arch is very wide, space
between the teeth can occur. The most common complaint from those
with excessive space is poor appearance.
: The most common
type of a crossbite is when the upper teeth bite inside the lower
teeth (toward the tongue). Crossbites of both back teeth and front
teeth are commonly corrected early due to biting and chewing difficulties.
:
About 3 to 5 percent of the population has a lower jaw that is to
some degree longer than the upper jaw. This can cause the lower front
teeth to protrude ahead of the upper front teeth creating a crossbite.
Careful monitoring of jaw growth and tooth development is indicated
for these patients.
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