Underbite is a type of bite misalignment that not only reduces the ability to chew but also affects the overall aesthetics. Whether or not to have braces for underbite depends on the specific condition of each tooth. Therefore, the doctor needs to examine carefully to diagnose the cause of underbite before being able to give the most appropriate treatment plan.
1. Causes of buck teeth
Buck teeth are a very common type of reverse bite in dentistry, with symptoms that are quite easy to recognize and observe. When a person with buck teeth is at rest, the lower jaw will protrude outward while the upper jaw will recede deeply inward. At the same time, if viewed from an angle, the face will appear concave, causing a loss of natural harmony.
Underbite can be caused by the following reasons:
– The loss of baby molars in the lower jaw causes the jaw to slide forward to chew food, which will gradually cover the upper jaw, causing underbite.
– If the upper incisors do not grow or grow slowly, the length of the dental arch will be reduced and the lower jaw will slide outward, gradually leading to underbite.
– When the temporomandibular joint is not strong, the lower jaw will be easily pushed outward, making the underbite more serious.
– Bad habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, chin support, and pacifier sucking from a young age that are maintained for a long time can cause children to have underbite.
2. What are the effects of buck teeth?
Buck teeth can lead to the following effects:
2.1. Affects aesthetics
Buck teeth directly affect the structure and aesthetics of the face, especially when viewed from an angle. This makes many people feel self-conscious in daily communication, thereby losing many opportunities in work and life.
2.2. Reduced ability to chew
Underbite is a type of bite misalignment, so chewing ability will definitely be affected. At this time, the patient will feel tired jaw when chewing and food is not chewed thoroughly. This causes the digestive system and stomach to work continuously and more than usual, which can lead to some diseases such as stomach pain, digestive disorders, etc.
2.3. Affects pronunciation
Underbite also affects pronunciation and communication. This causes difficulties for students who are learning foreign languages because they cannot pronounce words clearly and correctly.
2.4. Increases the risk of oral diseases
Depending on the severity, underbite can affect oral hygiene more or less. The process of oral hygiene is difficult, creating conditions for bacteria to accumulate in the oral cavity for a long time, increasing the risk of diseases such as tooth decay, periodontitis, gingivitis, etc.
3. Should I have braces if I have an underbite?
Braces are an orthodontic method that uses the tightening force of the archwire system, brackets or clear braces to change the position of the teeth, helping them move to the correct position on the jaw.
Whether or not to have braces for an underbite actually depends on each person’s specific condition and degree of underbite. For some cases of overbite that are too complicated or due to the jawbone, the doctor will prescribe surgery to get the best results.
If the underbite is due to teeth growing in the wrong position, braces are considered the optimal method to effectively correct an overbite today. Therefore, to know whether or not to have braces for an underbite, you need to go to the dentist to be examined and specifically advised by a specialist.
4. Advantages of braces for buck teeth
Braces for buck teeth have the following advantages:
4.1. Effective correction of buck teeth
With the stable tightening force created from specialized dental instruments, the misaligned teeth and bites that lead to buck teeth will gradually move to the desired position, restoring even, beautiful teeth with a standard bite. From there, the ability to chew is also improved and oral hygiene is easier.
4.2. Non-invasive to real teeth
Unlike the porcelain crown method to fix buck teeth, which requires grinding the real tooth stump to support the fake tooth, braces only apply force to help the real tooth move to the desired position, without affecting the tooth structure, so it will not weaken the tooth later.
4.3. Sustainable maintenance effect
If you strictly follow the doctor’s instructions on oral care, have a reasonable diet as prescribed by the doctor, the treatment process will end soon and the effect will be maintained permanently.
4. Effective buck teeth braces methods
Customers can choose one of the following methods to perform buck teeth braces:
4.1. Metal braces
Metal braces are a traditional solution that has been around for a long time. This method uses a system of archwires and brackets made of metal to create a tightening force to help the teeth move to the desired position on the jaw. The brackets will be fixed on the tooth surface throughout the braces process, creating a continuous and stable force that brings high efficiency in a short time.
Although it has the advantage of treatment time, many people still hesitate to choose metal braces because the aesthetics it brings are not high. The reason is because the metal has a completely different color from the real tooth color, making the patient feel self-conscious when wearing it.
Metal braces cost from 30,000,000 – 45,000,000 VND/ 1 course.
4.2. Ceramic braces
With the same operating mechanism as metal braces, ceramic braces also use the pulling force of the archwire system and brackets to help the teeth move to the correct position on the jaw, effectively correcting the condition of buck teeth. The difference is that the braces are now made from high-quality ceramic materials and can be adjusted in color to match the color of real teeth, ensuring maximum aesthetics.
However, because they are made from ceramic, braces are often very easy to break when chewing or when subjected to strong impact.
The cost of ceramic braces ranges from 40,000,000 – 50,000,000 VND / 1 course.
4.3. Self-closing braces
Also using an archwire system, the braces create a tightening force to help the teeth move to the correct position on the jaw, but the archwire will now be fixed to the braces with an automatic sliding cover system instead of traditional orthodontic elastic bands. This structure allows the archwire to slide freely on the bracket groove and self-adjust the tightening force to suit the movement of the teeth. This helps patients save a lot of time by not having to regularly visit the doctor to adjust the force.
Self-closing braces can be made of ceramic or metal depending on the needs of the customer with prices ranging from 55,000,000 – 65,000,000 VND / 1 course.
4.4. Lingual braces
It has a similar structure to traditional metal braces with elastic bands used to fix the brackets and archwires. The difference lies in the placement of the orthodontic appliance, instead of being fixed on the outside of the tooth surface, the wire and bracket system will be attached on the inside opposite the tongue. This helps to hide the brackets, making customers more confident when communicating, but makes the oral hygiene process more difficult.
Requiring complex techniques, lingual braces have a fairly high price, ranging from 80,000,000 – 125,000,000 VND/1 course.
4.5. Invisalign clear braces
Invisalign clear braces are an orthodontic method that applies the most modern and advanced technology today. The archwire and bracket system will now be replaced with high-quality transparent plastic braces. Combined with a design that fits snugly and closely to the dental arch, the braces tray becomes almost invisible when worn, providing high aesthetics throughout the orthodontic process.
The material of the braces tray has also been tested to be safe, benign and does not cause any irritation to oral health. In addition, the smooth surface will also protect the soft tissues in the oral cavity from damage when not used to the braces in the beginning.
Overcoming all the shortcomings of traditional braces, Invisalign clear braces have a price ranging from 80,000,000 – 140,000,000 VND/ 1 course.
5. When should I get braces for buck teeth?
According to experts, getting braces for buck teeth as soon as possible will ensure maximum effectiveness and shorten treatment time.
For children, the ideal time to start getting braces is between 12 and 16 years old when they show signs of buck teeth. The reason is that at this time the permanent teeth have fully grown but are not yet really stable, so shifting the position of the teeth is quite easy. In addition, the jawbone is not yet completely solid, so the process of correcting the bone will take place quickly and with less pain.
If the golden period for braces for buck teeth has passed, the patient should proceed with braces for buck teeth as soon as possible to improve aesthetics, chewing ability as well as oral health. However, the final result will only be about 80 – 90% and will also take longer than when braces are applied in adolescence.
So whether to have braces for buck teeth depends on each person’s oral condition as well as the cause of buck teeth. To know the exact answer, customers should go to a reputable dental facility to be examined and specifically consulted by a specialist.
