Jaw Misalignment
Winnipeg, Manitoba
When someone’s teeth grow out of their intended position or their upper and lower jaw do not fit together in a properly functional bite, we in the field of orthodontics refer to this as misalignment or malocclusion. While rarely a threat to your health and in several cases even something people cope with in daily life, jaw misalignment is nothing to be ignored.Sometimes, it can lead to more serious dental problems later.
That’s why, at Dr. Tim Dumore & Team, it’s our mission to teach you all the facts you need about this condition, its effects, and what can be done about it. Nobody should have to accept a dental condition he/she isn’t comfortable with. If you or a loved one suffer any discomfort, inconvenience, or social anxiety from jaw misalignment and wish to make an appointment to discuss possible treatment options, please call us today at 204-832-3910.
How Does Misalignment Happen?
A person’s teeth and jaws can grow in crooked, overlapping, or become twisted for multiple reasons:
| • | Their mouth may be too small for their teeth, which crowds said teeth and causes them to shift out of proper position. |
| • | The upper and lower jaws may not be the same size or can be malformed, which results in an overbite (excessively protruding upper jaw) or underbite (excessively protruding lower jaw). In such cases, this protrusion causes the teeth of the upper or lower jaw to extend out beyond the opposite jaw’s teeth. Most crooked teeth, overbites and underbites are genetically inherited like eye color or the size of one’s hands.
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| • | Premature loss of baby teeth or permanent adult teeth. |
| • | Improperly fitting dental restorations (Ex- Fillings, crowns). |
| • | Gum disease (Ex- Gingivitis). |
| • | Undue pressure on your teeth and gums. |
| • | Jaw misalignment from an injury. |
| • | Tumors in your mouth and jaw. |
| • | Common dental health issues at home (Thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, pacifier use after age three, prolonged bottle use, etc). |
| • | Even if you’ve had braces earlier in life, which are normally intended to help prevent this from happening, not all orthodontists properly assess the patient’s bite or use techniques that carry reliable results. Thus, he/she may leave with straightened teeth but unknown problems with their bite. |
| • | Our teeth also shift & move to some extent throughout our lifespan, so having a proper bite in childhood doesn’t guarantee that won’t change even if you’ve never suffered tooth, bite, or jaw altering injury. |
Why is Misalignment a Problem?
Jaw misalignment can affect people physically & emotionally in a variety of ways:
| • | Interference with eating, chewing, breathing, and speech. |
| • | Greater difficulty in keeping teeth clean, leading to higher risk of decay, cavities, and gum disease. |
| • | Chronic jaw discomfort & pain even when not moving, due to difficulty of jaw joint to function properly. |
| • | Increased strain on teeth, jaws, and muscles, which creates greater risk of breaking a tooth. |
| • | Social anxiety from teasing or general self-consciousness about one’s appearance. |
Misalignment Treatment
Fortunately, depending on the severity of the condition, there are several options you can discuss with Dr. Dumore for correcting an overbite or underbite as well as misaligned teeth:
| • | Braces- The standard treatment, especially for cases of overbite. Cement braces are connected to your teeth with a wire, which are typically tightened at regular intervals to gradually move the teeth and jaw into proper alignment. |
| • | Headgear braces- Used when misalignment is too advanced for ordinary braces, Dr. Dumore may apply this retracting headgear to move the upper jaw back or protraction headgear to move it forward. Both types are fixed with internal & external wiring along with one-two straps fitting over the head and neck. These headgear braces are usually worn 12-14 hours per day. |
| • | Upper jaw expander- Corrective method for an underbite, a wire frame device fitted across your upper palate (roof of the mouth). The expander is widened by the patient a little bit every night with a special key. After around one year of this routine, the upper jaw should widen enough to be properly aligned.
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| • | Reverse pull face mask- Appearing similar to the headgear, it too is worn overnight. Dr. Dumore has metal braces fixed to your upper back teeth (molars), which attach to the face mask. This wraps around the patient’s head and pulls their upper jaw back to correct it over time. |
| • | Cosmetic surgery- The lower teeth can be reshaped with veneers applied to the upper teeth. This won’t correct the jaw misalignment, but does make it less noticeable and allows your lower teeth rest behind the upper set when the mouth is closed. |
| • | Orthodontic jaw surgery- For severe cases. Fixed plates, screws, and wires are used to correct the malocclusion. Surgery is typically only recommended when everyday functions like eating, speaking, and sleeping are affected. |
Cleaning one’s teeth while reaching around an orthodontic device can certainly be challenging or even frustrating, but it must be done. Brushing & flossing twice a day as you normally should is necessary to ensure beautiful, healthy teeth after treatment is over.
