Malocclusion is a common dental issue that has affected millions of people worldwide. Its impact extends beyond aesthetics, influencing your self-esteem, oral function, and overall well-being.
Understanding what causes malocclusion, its consequences, and its solutions can help you in your teeth-straightening journey, resulting in a healthier, more beautiful smile. Malocclusions can occur due to several factors, but treatment options like Invisalign, braces, and other appliances can correct them.
Here, we will consider the essential aspects of malocclusion, including its causes, symptoms, consequences, and solutions, to help you better understand and address this common dental issue.
What Is Malocclusion?
Occlusion refers to the meeting between teeth when the upper and lower jaws are in sync. Malocclusion is the opposite of occlusion because the upper and lower jaw are misaligned, failing to meet each other when the mouth closes.
Misalignment is a term for malocclusion, and when your teeth do not align, it is due to your skeletal or dental structure. It is caused by overlapping, wide-spaced, or any abnormal teeth. Skeletal malocclusion involves jawbone misalignment, where one jawbone is positioned too far forward or backward or differs in size, causing an improper bite.
What Causes Malocclusion?
Malocclusion can be hereditary, meaning that a parent can pass it down to their children through genetics, affecting the alignment of teeth and jaw structure. But other conditions or habits might affect the jaw structure and shape, leading to misalignment, including:
- Extended bottle feeding in early childhood. Prolonged
- Cleft lip and palate
- Prolonged use of pacifiers beyond early childhood, especially after age 3, can influence oral development and might lead to malocclusion.
- Tumors in your jaw or mouth
- Airway obstruction or mouth breathing, potentially occurring due to enlarged tonsils or adenoids.
- Thumb sucking in developmental or childhood stages.
- Injuries in the jaw result in the misalignment of your jaw.
- Abnormally shaped or impacted teeth (it can disrupt the normal alignment of teeth and contribute to malocclusion)
- Poorly fitting dental restorations, such as crowns, fillings, or orthodontic appliances like braces, can contribute to malocclusion by altering the bite or tooth alignment.
- Dental care resulting in improperly fitting dental fillings, crowns, or braces
Symptoms of Malocclusion
Malocclusion is usually noticeable, especially severe ones. But some might be subtle, and you might need to overlook them. However, malocclusion can tamper with your smile, confidence, and daily life. It can even pose a risk to your health. So, here are typical symptoms to watch out for, whether it is mild or acute malocclusion:
- Biting the inner cheeks or tongue frequently
- Change in facial aesthetic or asymmetric or producing structure.
- Difficulty chewing
- Chronic mouth breathing instead of nasal breathing.
- Changes in speech
How to Treat Malocclusion
Research indicates that malocclusion, regardless of its type, does not typically improve and correct itself over time or through natural growth. Instead, most structural and dental issues related to malocclusion in children often deteriorate if left untreated by a specialist.
Treatment for malocclusion is typically determined after a thorough examination, including 3D imaging and X-rays of the patient’s mouth. This assessment helps the dentist understand the patient’s specific needs. Based on this diagnostic information, your oral health specialist can prepare a proper treatment plan that suits your developmental problem to ensure an effective treatment outcome.
Orthodontic Appliances
The orthodontic approach is one of the best ways to tackle dental malocclusions. If you have a less complex misalignment, you can opt for orthodontic appliances, such as removable or fixed options. This treatment strategy might work best in younger patients with mild skeletal problems, as their mouths are still in the developmental phase. Some orthodontic appliances that can correct bite issues and teeth alignment include:
- Traditional or invisible braces
- Retainers
- Invisalign
- Expanders
- Occlusal plates
- Headgear
Orthognathic Surgery
Orthognathic surgery is more intense than orthodontic treatment through appliances. This type of treatment requires surgery to correct severe skeletal malocclusions by repositioning the upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible) connected to the skull and facial bones. The treatment helps to improve jaw alignment and function. You need the surgical approach if orthodontic appliances alone cannot fix your dental problem.
Consequences of Untreated Malocclusion
Neglecting to treat misaligned teeth can lead to many issues, from immediate problems to long-term consequences. Here are the potential outcomes of untreated malocclusions:
Loss of Self-Esteem
When your teeth are out of alignment, smiling confidently can be challenging. This can affect self-confidence and make you reluctant or embarrassed to smile or socialize in public. Additionally, malocclusions can contribute to uneven facial appearance, asymmetric chin, or other facial irregularities, which can impact your confidence and overall facial conformity.
Chewing Issues
Malocclusion can lead to difficulties chewing food. Grinding your teeth might cause tension and severe jaw pain because your teeth are not correctly aligned to perform the chewing function. Ultimately, this can impact your digestive health due to improper food breakdown.
Impaired Speech
Without malocclusion, anybody who does not suffer speech defects can communicate clearly. However, some disorders, such as lisps or articulation difficulties, can be heightened by misaligned teeth or a poorly aligned jaw. These can make it tricky to pronounce specific sounds or cause a delay in making correct speeches.
Joint Problems
Malocclusion can strain the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), leading to jaw locking, pain, and clicking sounds when chewing. Untreated malocclusion can cause chronic ear pain, headaches, and facial pain.
Oral hygiene problems
Malocclusions involve crowded teeth, overlapping teeth, and gaps between teeth, impacting overall dental health. Neglecting bad bites can lead to several oral hygiene problems, including difficulty cleaning teeth, cavities due to plaque buildup, a high risk of gum disease (periodontitis and gingivitis), and bad breath or halitosis caused by bacteria and food particles.
Breathing problems
Malocclusion can lead to mouth breathing, which increases the risk of respiratory issues like obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. Breathing through the mouth can also affect your oral microbiome, increase bacterial growth, and put you at risk of gum disease.
Conclusion
Malocclusion significantly impacts oral health, and you must take it seriously. It can make you lose self-confidence, affect your eating and speaking functions, and challenge oral hygiene. If you are experiencing malocclusion, it is essential to explore various treatment options to prevent potential complications that can impact your daily life and overall well-being.