I'm uncertain regarding a recent trip to my tooth doctor. He took a quick glance and decided that I have "overbite." I'm not sure what this means. My lower teeth do not touch the upper gum. Looking in the mirror, I see that they are roughly 60% covering the lower teeth.
Does anyone have any knowledge in these field? Advice is appreciated, the quicker the better, for I need to make a decision soon. Thanks!
Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
I thought this was going to be a thread about The Venture Bothers. I was about to correct you that it's "Underbite" that has the steel jaw. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Malocclusion needs to be corrected if possible, or it can lead to jaw trouble and uneven wear on tooth surfaces, which can lead you prone to infection, and therefore cavities.
[ December 15, 2004, 09:36 PM: Message edited by: ketchupqueen ]
Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
quote:Looking in the mirror, I see that they are roughly 60% covering the lower teeth.
That's what an overbite is -- when your upper teeth overlap your lower teeth to a serious degree.
Overbites are cute in small children ("cute little chipmunk smiles") but not in adults, as I found when I turned 12 and the other kids teased me.
They are often combined with a receding lower jaw, as mine was.
(mine wasn't nearly this severe; I didn't need surgery, only an orthodontic appliance and then braces and headgear (5 years total treatment).
[ December 15, 2004, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: Yozhik ]
Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
Another overbite, with before and after pictures. Mine was more or less like this.
linkage Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
I have large forward teeth, so when I clench my teeth I have an overbite. It's not related to a receeding jaw, though.
I should probably get some sort of braces, but they're expensive. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
My daughter has a cross-bite, which is apparently REALLY bad. We interpret this to mean REALLY expensive.
My brother had a terrible overbite as a kid(we called it buck teeth in those days) and he sucked his thumb, which did not add to his pre-teen popularity. He got braces and now he is abut as handsome as can be, but it cost a pretty penny.
Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
But does he still suck his thumb?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
BookWyrm: Ow! You must be in constant discomfort! I hope the procedure works, and the dentures fit right.
Incidentally, my brother does not still suck his thumb, but he continued for some time. I think he was in seventh grade when he stopped. He is my stepbrother, and had had a horrid life with his own father.
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
Huh, I guess I have an overbite, too. When I close my jaw tightly, my upper teeth cover about 2/3 of my lower teeth. It feels right to me, though.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Zeugma, An overbite is when your top teeth stick out over your bottom teeth.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
An orthodontist can give you a better idea of what it looks like inside your mouth, especially if you get castings done (the first step in starting orthodontic treatment). When someone says "overbite" I start thinking the poor kid probably looks a bit like a horse. But no, when my son started ortho treatment last year, they said he had an overbite. You can't see it though, really...it's only obvious when you look at the castings.
He just got his upper braced put on yesterday. The lower went on this summer. He's well on his way to perfect teeth, and at this point, he'll be done far before he finishes middle school. Treatment so far has included a lip bumper on his lower teeth to expand out his lower jaw enough to make room for too many teeth; an expander on his upper jaw to do the same. The expander came off, and he had about 8 months in headgear at night. Meanwhile, the lip bumper came out, and braces were put on. He got to pick his school colors for the clips. For his upper ones, he picked Christmas colors. He's a festive kid.
So far, his ortho experience has been pretty mild and easy. I'm sorry I didn't do it when I was his age.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
"When I was a kid" they never started braces UNTIL middle school. Now, they start ver young.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
If it hasn't been botherin' you, "overbite" means that your dentist is messin' with your mind to pad his bank account with your money.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*laughs* The first orthodontist you linked to, Yozhik, is just a couple miles from me. Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
I sucked my thumb until junior high. Parents tried everything they could think of to get me to stop, the only thing that worked was the braces nighttime headgear because I couldn't get my thumb close enough anymore LOL.
My teeth were bad enough where I could insert my thumb vertically and with my nail 90 degrees from my teeth and still have wiggle room. I don't know how far my uppers covered my lowers.
Three years of very painful braces and two broken teeth and I still have an overbite but not as bad as it once was. The orthodontist apparently decided that this was as good as it was going to get. Ah well.
Oh, and in the next 2-3 years I get to start paying for torture devices for my 11 year old.... ugh.
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