Bite Problems With Your Child's Teeth

By JoAnne Bernard, DDS

Bernard Dental

. http://www.bernarddental.com/

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Bite Problems With Your Child's Teeth

You may not always be able to tell if your child's bite isn't developing properly. That's why you should have them undergo an orthodontic evaluation around age six to uncover any emerging problems with tooth misalignment.

Still, there are some visible signs all is not well with their bite. As the primary (baby) teeth give way, the permanent teeth erupt sequentially around ages 6-8. As they come in, you should notice that each tooth fits uniformly next to each other without excessive gaps or, on the other end of the spectrum, not crowded together in crooked fashion. Upper teeth should also fit slightly over the lower teeth when the jaws are shut.

If their teeth appearance deviates from these norms, they may have a bite problem. Here are four abnormalities you should watch for
Underbite or deep bite. As mentioned, the front teeth should cover the lower teeth with the jaws shut. In an underbite, the reverse happens the lower teeth are in front of the upper teeth. It's also a problem if the upper teeth cover the lower teeth too much (often referred to as “deeply”).

Open bite. This occurs when there's a gap between the upper and lower front teeth while the jaws are shut together. One possible cause is late thumb sucking, which can put undue pressure on the front teeth and cause them to develop too far forward while forcing the bottom front teeth further backwards.

Crossbites. This kind of bite occurs when some of the teeth don't fit properly over their counterparts, while others do. Crossbites can occur anywhere in the mouth, for example the upper front teeth fitting behind the lower front teeth while the back teeth overlap normally, or the reverse (front normal, back abnormal).

Misalignments and Abnormal Eruptions. Sometimes upper teeth may align too far forward, a situation known as protrusion. Conversely, lower teeth (or the jaw itself) may come in too far back (retrusion). Because a primary tooth might be out of position or not lost in the proper sequence, a permanent tooth might noticeably erupt out of its proper position.

If you notice any of these situations with your child's teeth see your dentist or orthodontist soon for a full examination. If caught early, we may be able to take action that will lessen or even eliminate the problem.