Does Invisalign Fix Overbites? Los Angeles CA
You’re considered to have an overbite if your upper front teeth overlap with the lower front teeth. This is a very common occurrence, and in most cases, it won’t affect your speech, eating habits, aesthetics, or other oral functions. Dentists consider the ideal overbite to be in the range of 5 to 25 percent, or a gap of 2-4mm. If it exceeds this measure, then you have a very large overbite that might cause a variety of oral problems, ranging from uneven teeth wear to jaw pain.
Fortunately, a deep bite or large overbite can be fixed with various orthodontic appliances, including Invisalign clear aligners. To determine whether Invisalign aligners are good for your case, the dentist will determine:
- Your age
- The severity of the overbite
- Your ability to follow the treatment’s guidelines
The Invisalign system uses removable aligners that must be worn for the recommended amount of time each day to ensure good progress of your treatment. They can be removed when eating and brushing/flossing your teeth, when participating in sports, or when playing wind musical instruments.
That said, you should keep in mind that Invisalign clear aligners are typically used with other orthodontic appliances to correct an overbite. These appliances include:
- Invisalign Mandibular Advancement – For young patients under 12 years, the dentist may recommend using Invisalign and the child’s tooth growth and development to naturally correct an overbite. The Invisalign Mandibular Advancement comprises aligners with plastic wings that help to gradually guide the lower jaw forward in small increments, while simultaneously straightening the lower front teeth and aligning the jaws.
- Elastics – For patients above the age of 12 years, mandibular advancement appliances cannot be successfully used to fix an overbite. Instead, your dentist may recommend wearing Invisalign aligners with elastics to gradually move the front teeth in the lower jaw forward, while moving the front teeth in the upper jaw backwards to correct a deep bite.
- Motion device – If you have a severe overbite, your dentist may recommend an additional orthodontic appliance known as the “motion” device. This is a small bar that is placed on the upper teeth to reduce the underbite while undergoing your treatment with elastics and aligners.
To learn more about Invisalign for overbites, please contact your Invisalign dentist in Los Angeles CA today. Following an assessment of your case, your dentist will help you design a customized Invisalign treatment plan to correct your overbite.
