Misalignment is another way of saying that your teeth are not lined up correctly. This also refers to the way your top and bottom teeth and jaws align (which is also referred to as a malocclusion – or bad bite). An aligned smile is one that looks uniform and allows a patient to close his or her mouth, chew, or speak without any problems or discomfort. Common types of misalignment include spacing, open bite, overcrowding, under bite, cross bite, and over bite.
We look for misalignment during your dental checkups because poorly organized teeth may result in a variety of negative side effects. For instance, if you cannot close your teeth together comfortably, they may grind against each other, resulting in significant wear and damage. Or, you may attempt to compensate by shifting your jaw, which may place stress on your jaw joints and lead to TMJ disorder. Fortunately, by detecting a problem, we can suggest treatment and protect you from damage.
In most cases, we will suggest orthodontic care, which may include a referral to a trusted orthodontist once we have examined your smile during a dental checkup. A variety of systems may address misalignment problems, including traditional or clear braces.
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