What is Underbite, Overbite and Crossbite?

The correlation between your overall health and your bite is a direct one because if your jaws and teeth are misplaced or not properly aligned then this affects your physical health negatively. You may find it difficult to breathe, speak, and eat and your facial appearance as well as smile can also change. Underbite, overbite and crossbite are considered as malocclusion.

Underbite:
Ideally, the upper teeth are supposed to be slightly above the lower front teeth and the lower front teeth should lie slightly behind the upper ones. Underbite occurs due to the overgrowth of your lower jaw and/or undergrowth of upper jaw, or it could be a mixture of both. When a person suffers from underbite, the lower teeth hang past the upper front teeth. As a result, tooth wear happens and the patient may feel pain in jaws and joints. Underbite doesn’t only affect the upper incisor teeth but also the molars and the patient’s lower jaw becomes much more prominent.

It is important to have the underbite assessed as soon as it gets detected. The condition may worsen if not treated timely and if it becomes a skeletal issue from a dental one then surgery may be required to correct it.

Overbite:
Overbite is a condition in which the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth. Normally, our upper teeth slightly overlap the lower ones and it occurs naturally. However, the normal range of this gap is between 3 to 5 millimeters. If the gap is greater than 5mm then this condition will be characterized as an overbite.

Extensive and prolonged use of a pacifier worsens the condition and so do habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and/or breathing from the mouth.

Crossbite:
Crossbite is a condition that may involve a single tooth or multiple teeth. A crossbite is when a lower tooth overlaps the upper tooth. Usually, crossbites are directly related to the narrowness of upper jaw and it can occur in the front or any of the other sides of the mouth.

When crossbite happens, one or more teeth may start tilting either toward the cheek or towards the tongue. Either way, this tilting affects the alignment of other teeth and paves way for different oral health issues such as teeth wear, bone loss and gum diseases. It must be noted that crossbite may occur on one or both sides of the jaw. Due to this condition, the jaw bone becomes excessively burdened and comes under stress.

Crossbites are also hereditary in nature because the tooth and jaw bone shapes are governed by genes. However, crossbite may develop if the baby teeth loss is delayed or new teeth emerge abnormally. Habits like careless chewing style and thumb sucking worsen the condition.

Treatment: Early orthodontic intervention may be required to shift teeth into an ideal position or to guide the growth of the jawbone. If the condition is ignored then surgery may be required. So, you must consult your dentist to consider the appropriate treatment and correct the abnormal growth or tilting of teeth.

Is Deep Cleaning Good or Bad for Gum Disease?

"Deep cleaning" often means scaling and root planing to a dentist or periodontist. Scaling is the process by which plaque (bacteria and food mixture) and calculus (tartar or mineralized plaque deposits) are removed from both supragingival (above the gum) and subgingival (below the gum) tooth surfaces.

Root planing involves removing plaque, calculus and smoothing rough root surfaces with fine scalers and ultrasonic instruments. This "planes" the roots under the gum to provide a smooth, clean surface to which the gums can reattach. After treatment, the goal is for the gingival (gum) tissue to become tight, pink, and healthy, with no bleeding or redness. Hopefully, the pockets that have formed between the teeth and the gums will shrink, reducing the need for surgical intervention.

Root planing is a treatment approach for gum and periodontal disease. However, the patient must be aware of certain issues:

• After root planing, teeth can become temporarily sensitive to cold air or cold liquids.
• After treatment, the gums will shrink as they get healthy and spaces between the teeth may develop. You may also experience gum recession on the outside surfaces of some of your teeth, but either situation is better than leaving gum disease insufficiently treated.

Does Teeth Whitening Cause Teeth Sensitivity?

Teeth whitening is one way to brighten your smile. It is a procedure that can be accomplished either at the dental office or in your own home. The downside to whitening your teeth is the sensitivity that sometimes develops. The properties of hydrogen peroxide - one of the main ingredients in most tooth whitening products may irritate the tooth nerve.

Tooth sensitivity is experienced as a rush or wave of pain usually as a response to cold air or water. If you suffer from tooth sensitivity then you may want to re-consider a whitening regime. However, there may be ways to combat this issue and still allow yourself to whiten your teeth.

• Follow the instructions of your dentist when using a professional product or the manufacturer's instructions for the over the counter products. Never whiten your teeth for longer than recommended.
• Sometimes just giving your teeth a short break between treatments can help to alleviate the symptoms.
• Taking pain killers can help reduce the symptoms if taken before applying the whitening product. Taking it ahead of time may prevent the symptoms from surfacing.
• See if you are using a product with a lower peroxide level.
• Limit the cold drinks and foods while you are whitening.
• Overuse of whitening products can also cause sensitivity. When used to excess, they have the potential to make your teeth very sensitive or even damage them.

If you tend to have teeth sensitive to whitening, talk with your dentist about the options available to you. If you try a product and experience painful sensitivity, stop using it immediately and consult with a dental professional. You and your dentist can decide together what product would be best for you.

Connection between Oral and Overall Health?

Although seeing a dentist is no substitute for a visit to a physician, regular dental checkups can reveal much about your overall health. If a dentist finds a potential health issue, he or she can refer you to a physician for follow-up.

Studies have shown that people with moderate or advanced gum (periodontal) disease are more likely to have cardiovascular disease (CVD) or heart disease than those with healthy gums. Although gum disease seems to be associated with heart disease, more studies are needed. But we do know that regular dental checkups, professional cleanings and good oral hygiene practices can improve oral health and that good oral health contributes to good overall health.

Studies show that people with diabetes are more susceptible to tooth loss and the development of gum (periodontal) disease and other oral health problems. Diabetes can slow the healing process and lower resistance to infections, including oral infections. Maintenance of good oral health through regular dental visits and appropriate treatment of gum problems is critical for people with diabetes.

Dentists also screen for oral cancer and other cancers of the head and neck, including skin cancer, cancer of the jaw bone and thyroid cancer, during routine checkups. Survival rates greatly increase if oral cancer is discovered earlier and treated. During your dental visit, you can ask your dentist to do an oral cancer screening. Also, periodic self-examinations can increase your chances of detecting oral cancer, so be sure to examine your face, cheeks, jaw and neck regularly for any changes or lumps.

Several studies have shown an association between periodontal disease and an adverse outcomes in pregnancy such as premature deliveries, fetal growth restrictions, and other complications.
The oral cavity may serve as a source for early detection for other medical concerns. For example, lesions in the mouth may be the first indication of HIV infection and may be used to determine the staging and progression of AIDS.

Visiting a dentist regularly can help you maintain your oral health. A dentist’s exam may detect poor nutrition and hygiene and oral cancer, as well as provide clues to your overall health and well-being. Also, brush and floss every day.

It is important for you and your family to provide your dentist with complete medical and dental histories and to inform your dentist of any recent health developments, including the use of over-the-counter medications and diet supplements, even if they seem unrelated to oral health. Why? Because some health conditions can even affect how dental care is provided.

References:

1. Stewart R, West M. Increasing Evidence for an Association between Periodontitis and Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation 2016.
2. Luo H, Pan W, Sloan F, Feinglos M, Wu B. Forty-Year trends in Tooth Loss Among American Adults with and without Diabetes Mellitus: An Age-Period Cohort Analysis. Prev Chronic Dis 2015;12:150309
3. Paquette D. Periodontal Disease and the Risk for Adverse pregnancy outcomes. Grand Rounds in Oral-Sys Med 2006; 4:14-24.

Is There a Way to Change the Shape of my Teeth?

Keeping your teeth clean and cavity free is indeed important, but the fact your teeth are healthy doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be ecstatic with their appearance. Genetics may provide you with teeth that are crooked, oddly shaped or that have large gaps between them. Or perhaps the appearance of your teeth has been altered from physical trauma or as a result of teeth grinding.

Whatever the reason, some people want to change the shape of their teeth. Maybe they want their teeth to be longer, or they want to close a gap between the front teeth. The good news is that, there are several dental services that allow you to choose the best option for you based on your unique dental needs and personal preferences.

In order to change the shape of your teeth, dentists use crowns, dental bonding, veneers, or they recontour your teeth.

Treatment options

• A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over teeth. When crowns are put in, they fully encase the tooth so that only the crown is visible, which allows a dentist to make the crown in the shape of desirable teeth.
• Dental bonding, on the other hand, is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material is applied to the tooth’s surface. The resin is then hardened with a special light, which will bond the material to the tooth.
• Porcelain veneers can also be used used more and more to change the shape of teeth. They are very thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials that are designed to cover just the front surface of teeth to create a visibly appealing smile. 
• Recontouring or reshaping of the teeth is a procedure that involves small amounts of tooth enamel being removed to change a tooth’s length, shape or surface.
• All of these options have different costs, different levels of durability, and different amounts of time to complete.

Contact Expressions Dental™ if you want to discuss how to change the shape of your teeth using one of the methods mentioned here.

How to Fix Gap between Front Teeth?

Causes of gapped front teeth

• A mismatch between the size of the jaw bones and the size of the teeth can cause either extra space between teeth or crowding of teeth. If the teeth are too small for the jaw bone, spaces between the teeth will occur.
• Sometimes some teeth are missing or undersized. This happens most often with the upper lateral incisors. That can cause spaces to develop in the upper front teeth.
• Habits can also lead to gaps between the teeth. Thumb sucking tends to pull the front teeth forward, creating gaps. 
• Spaces can develop from an incorrect swallowing reflex. For most people, the tongue presses against the roof of the mouth (palate) during swallowing. Some people develop a different reflex known as a tongue thrust. When they swallow, the tongue presses against the front teeth. Over time the pressure will push the front teeth forward. This can cause spaces to develop.

Children may have temporary gaps as their baby teeth fall out. Most of these spaces close as the permanent teeth reach their final positions.

Treatment:

• Some people get braces, which move the teeth together. If your lateral incisors are too small, your dentist may suggest widening them using crowns, veneers or bonding.
•  If you have a space because you are missing teeth, you might need more extensive dental repair. This might include dental implants, a bridge or a partial denture.
•  If the gap is caused by periodontal disease, then periodontal treatment by a dentist or gum specialist (periodontist) is necessary. When gum health is restored, in many cases braces can be used to move the teeth into place.

In many cases, a gap between the front teeth in the upper jaw will close by itself. An oral health professional or orthodontist should be able to advise about the need for treatment for a child from about 10 or 11 years of age.
 
If you have a space between your teeth or see one in your child's mouth, contact Expressions Dental™. Our general dentists will help determine the reason for the space and will provide treatment options.

Tips for Healthy Mouth

Taking care of your health and your mouth is one of the most important things to do to keep your smile healthy. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and having regular check-ups with a dentist can help keep your teeth healthy. Also, don't forget to floss daily.

Following simple tips may help you save money and energy from combating dental problems.

• Maintain healthy diet - What you eat and drink can cause tooth decay, so a healthy diet is important for your teeth. A healthy, balanced diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta (choose wholegrain versions and eat potatoes with their skin where possible). You should also eat sources of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or other non-dairy sources of protein, and some milk and dairy foods (ideally lower fat options).
• Reduce sugar from your diet - Limiting the amount of sugar you eat and drink is important to prevent tooth decay. A lot of the sugars we eat and drink are in food and drinks such as sweets, chocolates, sugary drinks, juices, syrups etc. When fruit is juiced or blended, as in smoothies, the sugars are released from the structure of the fruit. Once released, these sugars can damage teeth, especially if you drink fruit juice frequently.
• Quit smoking - Smoking can stain your teeth yellow, cause bad breath, and increases your risk of gum disease, breathing problems, lung cancer and mouth cancer. Giving up smoking is important if you want to look and feel better.
• Limit alcohol consumption - Alcohol misuse has been linked to an increased risk of developing mouth cancer. The most important risk factors for mouth cancers are the combined effect of smoking and drinking alcohol. (Ref: oralcancerfoundation.org)
• Eat right - Some other substances such as wine, tea or coffee can stain your teeth. Keep them to a minimum to stop your teeth becoming stained.
• Use mouthwash - Using a good mouthwash will not only keep your breath fresh, it can help keep harmful bacteria away.
• Drink lots of water
• Rinse your mouth after every meal. 
• Take care of your teeth and gums with proper daily routine of brushing and flossing.  If your diet has impacted your oral health with severe tooth decay or tooth loss, call us at Expressions Dental™ to know your treatment options.