rateme.
Iron
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2025
- Posts
- 249
- Reputation
- 129
Underbite: What It Is and Why You Should Care
An underbite happens when your lower teeth sit in front of your upper teeth. It can be genetic, but other factors can make it worse:
Why Fixing It Matters
Ignoring an underbite isn’t just about looks. It can cause:
Step 1: Get a Professional Assessment
You can’t correct what you don’t fully understand.
Treatment Options:
1. Jaw Expansion & Growth Appliances:
2. Braces & Advanced Orthodontics:
3. Clear Aligners:
4. Orthognathic Surgery:
At-Home Support:
These practices won’t replace professional treatment, but they help maintain results and support facial posture.
Again this is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified orthodontist.
An underbite happens when your lower teeth sit in front of your upper teeth. It can be genetic, but other factors can make it worse:
- Childhood habits like thumb sucking or extended pacifier use
- Tongue-thrusting or pushing the tongue forward
- Mouth breathing
- Uneven jaw growth
Why Fixing It Matters
Ignoring an underbite isn’t just about looks. It can cause:
- Jaw discomfort, TMJ pain, and tension headaches
- Worn-down teeth and gum problems
- Trouble chewing or speaking clearly
- Facial changes like a pronounced lower jaw or sunken upper jaw
- Increased difficulty in fixing it later
Step 1: Get a Professional Assessment
You can’t correct what you don’t fully understand.
- See an orthodontist or dentist
- X-rays or 3D scans reveal whether the underbite is skeletal (jaw bones) or dental (teeth misalignment)
- Treatment depends on this distinction
Treatment Options:
1. Jaw Expansion & Growth Appliances:
- Widens the upper jaw to align with the lower jaw
- Works best in teens; adults may need surgical assistance
- Improves bite, facial symmetry, and sometimes breathing
- Duration: months of active adjustment + retention
2. Braces & Advanced Orthodontics:
- Adjusts teeth and mildly influences jaw alignment
- Avoid extraction-only approaches that may worsen facial balance
- Good for moderate underbites
3. Clear Aligners:
- Great for mild dental underbites
- Removable and discreet
- Not effective if the jaw bones are misaligned
4. Orthognathic Surgery:
- Corrects severe jaw misalignment permanently
- Longer recovery but very effective in adults
At-Home Support:
- Tongue posture: keep tongue on the roof of your mouth, close lips, breathe through your nose
- Jaw exercises: gentle stretches, chin tucks, chewing exercises
- Myofunctional therapy: correct tongue-thrust and breathing habits
These practices won’t replace professional treatment, but they help maintain results and support facial posture. Again this is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified orthodontist.
