With underbite, you shouldn’t wait long to have you or your child’s malocclusion treated. If you or a family member have teeth and jaws that don't meet like they should, you're not alone. There are multiple types of malocclusions or bad bites, from crookedness and crowding to overbite, crossbite, and more. One of the most common ones our orthodontists see is underbite. With underbite, the lower jaw protrudes out in front of the palate, creating a bulldog-like appearance in more severe and visibly noticeable cases. While underbite can be visible even from birth before any teeth are close to erupting, some patients can develop this bad bite later. What causes underbite? Genetics Bad childhood habits like thumbsucking and using a pacifier or baby bottle use past infancy Jaw injury Tumor along the jaw or mouth

The Problems Of Untreated Underbite Underbite should be treated sooner rather than later. It can cause major issues affecting kids' smiles well into adulthood. These are just a few of the most prevalent underbite complications: TMJ Disorder Underbite can put too much stress and pressure on some areas of the mouth. At its worst, these aches and pains can worsen into TMJ disorder. This condition develops when the joint connecting the upper and lower jaws falls out of alignment or becomes damaged. The joint no longer hinges smoothly, and it becomes painful to open and close your mouth. Common TMJ symptoms include: Jaw popping or clicking when opening your mouth Neck, face, and jaw pain and tenderness Chronic headaches and earaches Facial and jaw swelling Difficulty chewing, speaking, or opening your mouth Jaw painfully locking shut TMJ treatment can involve various procedures, from rest and botox to mouth guards and surgery. However, for most underbite-caused TMJ, we typically suggest fixing your joint trouble with standard underbite procedures. Poor Dental Health Underbite can also lead to further dental problems down the road. An uneven bite can lead to some teeth wearing down faster than normal. This is particularly true with patients with a troublesome habit of clenching or grinding their teeth while asleep. Thin enamel is easier to crack or chip, and it's also more vulnerable to dental decay. As such, patients with underbite often have more cavities and require more restorative dental work. Difficulty Eating and Speaking When the upper and lower jaws don't meet correctly, chewing and biting becomes a challenge. The molars don't meet where they should, and the front teeth don't meet at all in severe underbite cases. Along with mealtimes becoming more tedious and exhausting, patients often take too-big bites to compensate. This often leads to gas, bloating, and painful indigestion issues. Underbite can also lead to trouble correctly pronouncing words. Speech depends on how the teeth meet together and how the tongue presses against it to make certain sounds. Along with many other bad bites, patients with underbite often have a lisp and difficulty making "d" and "t" sounds clearly. Sleep Apnea A bad bite can also affect our airways and lead to breathing problems, especially at night when we can't consciously regulate them while we're asleep. One of the most prevalent issues is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea makes it difficult for you and your family to get a good night's rest, especially if it causes snoring. It's especially troublesome for younger patients as their sleep apnea can cause bedwetting, night terrors, behavioral issues, and poor school performance. How Does An Orthodontist Correct An Underbite? Palate Expander One of the most common underbite treatment options is a palate or upper jaw expander. This treatment widens the mouth's palate, which pulls back protruding teeth. How does a dental expander work? This device uses a simple system of a metal body with a keyhole and a metal framework stretching out to cover the roof of your mouth. The wire arms of the frame clinch around your side teeth, so when you turn a key into the body, the arms extend out further and gradually widen your palate. Treatment typically takes between 4 months to a year to complete, along with an additional year with a retainer. For patients who have multiple bite problems, not just underbite, you'll need to have a round of bracket braces or clear aligners afterward, too. Widening the palate can create room in the mouth and stop teeth from protruding, but it doesn't move everything into their correct positions. Reverse-Pull Face Mask A reverse-pull face mask is similar to traditional headgear. It places an external device against the forehead and chin and connects to your back teeth through metal bands. This gives our orthodontists leverage on the upper and lower jaws as we gradually pull your upper palate forward. In many cases, a face mask can attach itself to other concurrent treatments, like an expander. A face mask is often the preferred method to fix underbite unless jaw surgery is necessary. Not only can it take care of more extreme cases than expanders or braces, but it also doesn't need 24/7 treatment to work. Patients usually wear their headgear between 12 and 18 hours each day. Braces and Invisalign With minor cases, our orthodontics team may only need a set of braces or clear aligners. These procedures aren't solely concerned with teeth straightening, like some people believe. Instead, we'll attach strong elastics bands to brackets on both your upper and lower jaws. Over time, these rubber bands will gently pull your lower jaw back to where it should be. Like expanders, you'll need at least a year with a retainer to prevent your jaws from returning to their old locations. Jaw Surgery Severe underbite may need surgery to correct it. Jaw surgery can often involve reshaping the jaw by shortening the lower one or lengthening the upper one by removing or adding a small portion of bone to the jaw. Your orthodontist may need to insert screws and plates into the jaw that help stabilize the mouth's position. Jaw surgery is usually done earlier than other treatments. When surgery is required, patients' bad bites are often severe enough to be visible before we usually screen for orthodontic issues at age 7. Early surgery is common with patients who have a cleft lip causing their underbite.

Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Best Age For Orthodontic Treatment? In general, the best time for orthodontics is soon after, between the ages of 8 and 14. During this time, the jaw is growing, baby teeth are falling out, and permanent teeth are coming in. With younger patients' mouths malleable to our needs, treatment can be quicker and more comfortable. How early we start treatment depends on the type of procedure and the underbite's severity. For example, if your child only needs braces or Invisalign, we can begin as early as 8 to 10 but often have them come in between 11 and 14 years old. This is particularly true if a palate expander is needed before correcting the last remaining issues with a final round of braces or aligners. However, severe cases often need correcting before their orthodontic consultation at age 7. Complications can already appear and create problems. We often have patients as young as 5 or 6 come in for treatment, especially if they require reverse-pull face masks or jaw surgery. Can Adults Have Palatal Expanders? Expanders are usually used as part of early orthodontic treatment. As such, many older patients wonder whether treatment is even an option for them. However, even if early treatment is better, you haven't run out the clock on fixing your underbite if you're a late teen or adult. It will just take more time. Your jaw and teeth will have become set in place and resistant to our orthodontists' effort. We'll have to go a bit slower to prevent any undue discomfort or complications. How Much Do Braces Cost? Bracket braces and Invisalign treatment costs can vary depending on several deciding factors: Type of treatment Duration Underbite’s severity and bite’s complexity Your dental insurance plan While not all dental insurance plans cover orthodontics, many full coverage ones do. Clear aligner coverage is rarer. Even then, many providers have a fixed amount they'll provide towards your Invisalign cost. Here at Long Beach Family Dentist, we take all dental PPOs and are in-network for Cigna, Aetna, Delta, Principal, United Concordia, United Healthcare, and Liberty PPO. We also take Cigna HMO dental for those patients assigned to our office. Our dental office is dedicated to ensuring our patients never have to worry about their dental or orthodontic work will break the bank. In addition to our dental insurance acceptance policy, we also have other financing options, both in-house and through third parties. If you have any questions about our underbite treatment options, please don't hesitate to call our dental office at (562) 999-3602. We can schedule a consultation with one of our talented orthodontists right away.