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Open bite is an oral condition
that occurs when certain teeth, usually your front teeth, do not
make contact with each other. Open bite gives the illusion that
a person's mouth is never really closed, because there is always
space between the teeth. Since open bite is not a common
problem, those who seek treatment do so primarily for aesthetic
reasons. For patients that have moderate to extreme open bite,
treatment is important since the condition can affect the joints
of the jaw and cause recurring pain throughout the region.
There are a number of circumstances
that could be responsible for open bite. Thumb sucking and
tongue thrusting are habits that can have an affect on the
development of open bite. Speech problems such as lisping can
also cause open bite. Genetics can create a situation where the
upper and lower jaw are unaligned. Your dentist should be able
to spot these causes and refer you to an orthodontist for proper
treatment.
While open bite can often be
treated with braces, in moderate to extreme cases a more complex
solution is required. These cases are more difficult to handle
because both the teeth and the jaw are involved. Many
individuals with moderate to extreme open bite require surgery
to correct their jaw. In addition, they need braces before and
after the surgery to achieve proper alignment. The entire
treatment procedure requires a significant financial investment,
and in severe cases, may take more than 3 years to complete. The
price of treatment and the time needed to complete it vary
between adults and children since their mouths are in different
stages of development. Even so, many individuals pay for the
procedure in installments, whether they work out a payment plan
with their surgeon or through a third party.
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