If you think it doesn’t really matter how your teeth meet when your bite is closed, think again. Malocclusion — which is misalignment of your bite or your teeth when your mouth is shut — creates issues well beyond aesthetic ones.
That’s why Dr. Maya Oliver and our team at Georgetown Orthodontics offer dedicated treatment for a wide range of bite and alignment issues, including underbites. At our office in Washington, DC, Dr. Oliver diagnoses and treats malocclusion to not only improve your smile’s appearance, but to also help protect your overall health.
Are bite and alignment problems really that serious? Because they contribute to a broad range of health concerns, the answer is a definitive yes.
Malocclusion’s link to health issues
Bite and alignment problems can cause problems you might expect, like tooth crowding and speech difficulties. Over time, severe bite issues can even change the shape of your face.
But that’s not all. A misaligned bite can also contribute to breathing problems, including sleep apnea, and jaw pain, including pain caused by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
In fact, your bite problems can extend well past pain in your jaw, causing headaches and neck pain, too. That pain occurs because the muscles in your face have to strain more when chewing or talking when your bite doesn’t line up the way it should.
On top of that, studies have even connected bite problems with bad posture and poor balance.
Along with all of these potential health hazards, bite and alignment problems can also make it harder to keep your mouth clean, especially when they cause tooth crowding. When it’s harder to clean between crowded teeth, you’re more likely to develop gum disease. And gum disease is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and dementia.
All told, if you want to protect your health, it’s important to see Dr. Oliver to correct alignment problems in your mouth.
Treating bite and alignment problems
At our office, Dr. Oliver tailors treatment to ensure your teeth meet together the way they should. This gives you a stunning, straight smile while helping you avoid headaches, gum disease, and the multitude of other problems we just outlined.
If you’re living with misaligned teeth or an uneven bite, call our office at Georgetown Orthodontics. Dr. Oliver and our team are here to help you get the dental treatment you need to avoid the health hazards that can come with dental issues.