Ask the Dental Experts
Our philosophy is to help our patients achieve and maintain exceptional dental health. We work hard to make sure that our level of care is deserving of our patients’ respect and confidence. Our tradition of preventive dentistry is the basis for all service and care in our practice. We welcome all questions and comments regarding dentistry in the hope that we increase your dental "IQ" and help you make better dental health decisions.Monday, June 26, 2006
Overbite Options
Q: I have 90% overbite. Can braces alone solve the problem or will I have to go for jaw surgery? Is there an alternative to jaw surgery?
A: This amount of overbite of the anterior teeth is extreme. There are several options of treatment, depending on the reason for the overlap. If your problem is skeletal, and you have all of your natural teeth, as implied by your email, then probably orthognathic surgery (surgery + braces) is the best solution. Sometimes there is a non-surgical option that may not be as ideal but take care of your concerns. Often there is more than one option for treatment - ideal vs. acceptable compromise. An orthodontist should be your quarterback.
If your overbite, however, is from having lost teeth with the subsequent collapse of your occlusion and bite, then there may be some other solutions to your problem. There are times that restorative dental care or restorative in tandem with orthodontic care are indicated. A restorative dentist would be your quarterback in this type of situation.
You should have a complete workup and perhaps get a couple of opinions about your treatment options.
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