Underbite
Underbite
“Class 3 Maloclusion”
Definition:
An underbite is when your lower teeth sit more forward than your upper teeth. A severe underbite can create a bulldog like appearance in your face and mouth.
The degree of underbite can vary with some severe cases causing the lower teeth to extend forward very far while others can be milder and nearly unnoticeable.
Symptoms:
- Pain in the jaw joint
- Pain in the neck area
- Difficulty chewing
- Speech distortion
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Snoring
Causes:
Like most malocclusions (a Latin word that means bad bite), underbites are mainly caused by genetics but there are some other factors that can cause underbites as well.
- Genetics
- Myofunctional habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting or pushing on the teeth with the tongue, extended pacifier use and extended bottle feeding
- Mouth Breathing
- Over Crowding
- Injury or trauma to the jaws
- Sleep apnea
- Tumor in the jaws or neck
How Does an Underbite Affect the Body?
- Makes speaking difficult and tiring
- Difficulty breathing
- Headaches
- Difficulty eating and chewing leading to gastrointestinal issues
Did You Know ?
Approximately 38% of the general population has a type of orofacial myofunctional disorder.
