Corinna St Orthodontics: Orthodontic problems

Orthodontic problems, or malocclusions, can describe a variety of issues that essentially create a ‘bad bite’.

Many of these malocclusions are inherited issues, although they can also be caused by accidents, losing baby teeth early or late, or thumb/finger sucking beyond childhood.

If you have any of the issues below, book an appointment with us and we can advise you on the best treatment options for your case. Some orthodontic problems are less visible than others, so we recommend bringing in your child even if there’s no obvious issue, as this can help catch problems before they develop.

Common Orthodontic problems

Crooked Teeth

Teeth can develop incorrectly for a number of reasons, including genetic influences, jaw growth deformities, patient habits, obstructed airways/chronic mouth breathing and other serious oral health conditions.

Cross Bite

Crossbites occur when groups of teeth don't fit over each other when your mouth is closed. Most crossbites are caused by an upper jaw being too small or a lower jaw being too big, or a combination of both.

Crowding

Crowding is a very common problem. It's when when you have overlapping or misaligned teeth. This usually results in a lack of space for your teeth to fit within your jaws and can be caused by your teeth rotating or being displace.

Openbite

An openbite occurs when the upper and lower front teeth don't meet evenly when your jaw is closed, creating an open gap between your front teeth.

Overbite

An overbite occurs when the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth by more than one-third. Most overbites can be fixed through orthodontic treatment.

Scissor Bite

A scissor bite occurs where an upper tooth and its matching lower tooth do not contact each other. They tend to 'keep' growing past each other over time.

Spacing (gaps)

In most cases, spacing can be fixed by orthodontic treatments, such as traditional braces. We'll help you find the best solution for your spacing concerns.

Underbite

Underbites are usually caused by genetic and hereditary factors relating to jaw development. Underbites occur less commonly than overbites.