Does your child need braces? You may think they don’t need braces because their teeth are straight. But is your child’s bite aligned? Do their jaws line up perfectly when they chew?
This matters because misaligned jaws can cause a host of problems, from excessive tooth wear to excessive wear on the temporomandibular joint—the joint between the upper and lower jaws. This can cause TMJ Disorder, or TMD.
It can also lead to digestive issues because the food isn’t chewed properly. Digestion doesn’t begin in the stomach. It begins in the mouth, where chewing and saliva start breaking down food.
If the food isn’t broken down before it hits the stomach, it can cause acid reflux, gas, nausea, and other digestive issues. These issues can reduce nutrient absorption and lead to other health problems.
This is why it’s important to have your child evaluated by an orthodontist by age 7, as recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Because it may not be obvious to you or even your child that there may be a problem.
Why Bite Alignment Matters
Bite alignment can affect more than just chewing. It can also affect:
- Speech
- Jaw fatigue
- Jaw pain
- Headaches
- Excessive tooth wear
- TMJ damage
- Oral hygiene
Proper orthodontic treatment can prevent all of this. Most people think orthodontic treatment is only for crooked teeth or overbites. But orthodontics do more than just treat malocclusions (bad bites). Braces and clear aligners can fix:
- Overbites
- Underbites
- Crossbites
- Gap teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Open bite
- Deep bite
Just because their teeth line up doesn’t mean their bite is perfectly aligned. This is why it’s so important to have your child examined by an orthodontist. If your child’s pediatric dentist recommends an orthodontist visit, they may notice misalignment you can’t see.
What Does ‘Bite Alignment’ Actually Mean?
What do we mean by bite alignment? It’s the way the teeth line up when the jaws are at rest. The teeth are designed to fit together in the back (molars) so they can grind food properly without grinding themselves down at the same time.
One way you can see if your child’s jaws are aligned correctly is if the center line of their front teeth lines up between the central incisors of the upper jaws and lower jaws when their jaws are at rest.
How Your Child Can Tell If They Have Misaligned Jaws
Misaligned jaws can have several symptoms. Does your child get any of these?
- They have trouble chewing
- Their jaws get tired when chewing
- Their jaws pop when chewing
- Frequent headaches, especially around the TMJ
- Uneven or accelerated tooth wear, particularly in the molars
- Damage to the teeth (chips, cracks, breaks)
- Frequently bite the inside of their cheek or tongue
How Orthodontics Fixes Jaw Misalignment
Braces and clear aligners don’t just guide teeth into proper positions. They also guide the jaws into proper alignment. We treat in phases: the first may focus on straightening the teeth, while the next focuses on realigning the jaws.
FAQs About Jaw Misalignment
Is bite correction cosmetic, or is it a health issue?
It’s as much of a health issue as it is cosmetic because a misaligned bite can affect your overall physical health, and a bad-looking smile can affect self-esteem, which can affect your emotional and mental health. So your oral health is tied to your overall health.
How long does bite correction take?
It depends on several factors, such as the severity of the dental issues, the patient’s age, and the type of treatment. Braces typically take 12-24 months on average, while clear aligners take 9-16 months. It may take longer or shorter for your child. We can give you an estimate once we draw up the treatment plan.
Can adults get bite correction, or is it only for teens and kids?
Adults can definitely get bite correction! It may take a bit longer than with kids because their jaws are still developing, and their teeth can move more easily. Adult jaws are “set,” meaning they have hardened.
What happens if a misaligned bite isn’t treated?
Dental issues keep getting worse and causing more damage to the teeth, so that treatment to fix your smile may take longer and become more expensive.
Bite Repairs in Rogers, AR
If you need your bite repaired in Northwest Arkansas or Rogers, AR, schedule an appointment with Smith & Davis Orthodontics. Whether you need the repair or your child, we can take care of it.
