How to figure out whether you have an overbite
Understanding an overbite
Without knowing what an overbite is it’s impossible to figure out whether you have one or not, therefore understanding the signs is one of your first steps to diagnosis. An overbite is when your upper front teeth overlap with your lower front teeth. A lot of people have at least a little bit of an overbite, but when it’s severe it can affect confidence and often the function of the teeth.
Self-diagnosis
One quick and easy way of establishing whether you have an overbite is by following these steps:
- Close your mouth naturally making sure not to clench your jaw or force your teeth together, doing this could give you exaggerated results. Closing your mouth gently allows you to see where your teeth sit naturally, this is the position you need for the next step.
- Grab your closest mirror and smile, make sure to move your lips out of the way and get as close to the mirror as possible so that you can fully see your teeth and the position they are in.
The first sign to look out for is whether your upper teeth overlap your bottom teeth, some level of this is normal, but this along with your bite alignment being off are classic signs of an overbite.
If you do have an overbite you will notice that your bottom teeth bite very close to the roof of your mouth, in some cases your bottom teeth may even touch the roof of your mouth when you bite naturally.
When the position of your jaw is not properly aligned it can lead to a condition called malocclusion, this condition is categorised into overbites and underbites.
What do I do if I have an overbite?
If after doing this test you show signs that you have an overbite, the best thing for you to do is to go see an orthodontist. Less severe forms of an overbite can be fixed using a brace. But for more severe overbites Northenden House Orthodontics offer orthognathic surgery.
If you think you may have an overbite, please don’t hesitate to contact us for information on diagnosis and treatment options.
- Mohammad Malik
