If you have ever been to an orthodontist or dentist in your life before, they would have most probably talked to you about your bite classification. Well, obviously you would have thought what in the world does bite classification mean? We surely acknowledge that very well and know that it might be perplexing to even hear about different bite classifications for the first time. In order to make it crystal clear for you, it is something that needs to be understood in order to give your orthodontist the idea about the most ideal treatment for you.
The dentists here at Ivanov Orthodontics use the bite classifications to conclude whether our patients need treatment if they have a normal bite, underbite or overbite.You might be wondering that some cases don’t need any sort of repairment but there are some cases in which treatment is needed even if the teeth look perfectly fine, Some people might still have dental issues including chipped and crooked tooth, a very prominent and uncomfortable crossbite and gap between teeth. Let’s have a view of the three types of dental bite classifications, their causative agents and their possible and foremost treatment.
Dental bite classifications:
- Class I Bite: Normal Bite:
This bite classification is referred to as ‘Normal Bite’. This means that all the four types of teeth including premolars and molars of the upper and lower jaw are properly fixed at their places if you eat something or even if your mouth is at rest. The teeth and jaws are perfectly aligned and are fixed together in the way they should be.
Now you will surely be thinking that a normal class 1 bite classification doesn’t need any treatment. But there are still some factors that might drive you to look for an orthodontist in order to make your problem easy. The common problems faced due to this type of bite classification may include extra number of overcrowded teeth, teeth gapping or other contrasting factors that need to be addressed with the application of invisalign aligners or braces. We, at Ivanov Orthodontics, may help to ease your bite classification problem.
a. Gapping Between The Teeth:
Teeth are naturally made to be fit with one another. Unrestricted gapping in between the teeth can make them move apart from each other. A lot of missing teeth or massive sized jaws can drive the teeth to deviate from their proper place.
b. Exceedingly Crowded Teeth:
Even if you fall under the category of normal bite classification, it is still possible that you may have crowded teeth. Crowded teeth often occur because of less space on both upper and lower jaw which doesn’t permit the teeth to erupt properly. Teeth might be unable to erupt due to a number of factors. The most common of them is ‘Undersized Jaw’. Undersized jaw doesn’t allow teeth to erupt properly.
- Class II Bite: Overbite
This is the second type of dental bite classification. Overbite occurs when the upper jaw is more in the front and the lower jaw is at the back. It is also called ‘Malocclusion’. As the upper jaw is more in the front so its teeth protrude more forward from the teeth of the lower jaw. In plain English, this is referred to as an ‘overbite’. The patients with this bite classification often have a tucked chin under the upper jaw.
Let’s discuss some of its causative agents:
a. Sucking Your Thumb: It is the most obvious causative agent of an overbite but it can be controlled through certain ways. Sucking your thumb or pacifier for a longer period of time can cause the roof of the mouth (palate) to intensify, the front teeth are forcefully pushed forward and the back teeth as a result of sucking your thumb or pacifier are moved backwards making it difficult to bite food.
b. Grinding Your Teeth: Grinding your teeth during sleep or intentionally can cause them to shift from their original place ultimately leading to crossbite or overbite. This can be cured by using any oral appliance.
3. Class III Bite: Underbite
The last and the most important in the bite classification system is ‘Underbite’. In this type of bite, the bottom molars instead of being moved backwards are pushed forward due to which they are unable to align with the upper molars properly.
Alternatively, the upper teeth are more backward than the front teeth. In layman’s terms, it is known as ‘Underbite’.
Why Should I Fix My Bite?
It seems fine that you can spend your life with any sort of bite classification even if it doesn’t look good but guess what? It’s not a good idea. A ‘not so good bite’ can not only affect your dental health but can also cause a vast number of health related issues.
Your teeth are one of the best creations of nature. They are made in a particular way so that chewing pressure is evenly distributed throughout the mouth. If you have a bad bite, it is impossible for the pressure to be distributed properly, so some teeth might face more pressure than the others. This gradually could lead to a thin, weary and weak enamel (the outer hard covering of a tooth) and can cause severe damage to the teeth including chips, breaks and cracks which ultimately leads to tooth loss.
A bad dental bite classification can also speed up the process of tooth decay. Improperly aligned teeth can cause the bacteria, cell debris and certain smelly food substances to accumulate between the teeth spaces. This could create havoc making it nearly impossible to even floss or brush your teeth properly. This will also lead to gum disease or tooth loss.
A bad dental bite classification can also cause temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and severe jaw pain. A bad bite makes it utterly impossible to chew your food in a good way. As digestion starts in the mouth with the help of salivary amylase, due to the fact that food isn’t broken down properly, the improperly chewed and undigested food is passed into the stomach because of which the stomach has to make a lot of untiring efforts to churn the food.This can also lead to certain types of Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders (GIT Disorders).
If you’re worried about your dental bite classification, we at Ivanov Orthodontics can offer you a consultation that helps you know what type of classification your bite falls in and the answer to the question, if it needs any sort of repair. If your bite is improper or irregular, then be assured, you don’t have to live with an irregular bite for the rest of your life.
