Many patients who are referred to Avenue Orthodontics are told by their general dentists that their bite is off or that they have a “bad bite.” They turn to our experienced orthodontists, Dr. Eleni Michailidis and Dr. Abraham Chahine, for the most effective orthodontic solutions available, from Invisalign® to various types of dental braces. At our orthodontic practice, we tailor your orthodontic treatment to meet your unique needs and goals, providing you with a personalized plan that will produce the best results in the most efficient manner possible.

We are also firm believers in the value of patient education. When you come to us with a “bad bite,” or malocclusion in Roslyn and Whitestone, NY, it is only natural that you would be curious as to what an ideal bite would look like and how we would go about achieving it through orthodontic care. Indeed, that very question may be what led you to this blog article right now. We invite you to take a few moments to learn what constitutes an ideal bite and then contact Avenue Orthodontics today to find out how we can help you or someone you love to achieve a healthier and more esthetic smile.

What Is a “Bad Bite”?

The phrase “bad bite” is an informal way of referring to a condition clinically known as malocclusion. Occlusion refers to the relationship between the teeth in the upper and lower jaws when they meet, as when you are biting down or chewing. Malocclusion occurs when the relationship between these teeth is improper due to one or more of the following:

• A discrepancy between the upper and lower jaws
• Overcrowding of teeth (possibly caused by an underdeveloped jaw)
• A mismatch in the proportional size of the upper and lower teeth
• Teeth that are improperly aligned (ie: crooked)
• Gaps between teeth
• Teeth that have over erupted or not fully erupted
• Impacted teeth
• Missing teeth
• The presence of extra teeth
• Abnormally shaped teeth
• Failed, ill-fitting, or poorly made dental restorations

Cases of malocclusion can be classified into categories, and it is possible for a person to suffer from more than one type of malocclusion. The basic categories of malocclusion include:

Excessive overjet: In an ideal bite, the top front teeth should only be slightly in front of the lower front teeth. In this way, the front teeth can properly incise even the thinnest of foods (think thin-crust pizza). In people with excessive overjet, the top front teeth are significantly more forward than the lower front teeth.

Severe overbite: Most people have upper front teeth that slightly overlap the lower front teeth, which is actually ideal. However, severe overbite refers to the condition in which the overlap is excessive, to the point that the lower front teeth are largely obscured by the upper front teeth.

Underbite: This refers to the condition in which the lower front teeth are more forward than the upper front teeth, commonly due to a protruding lower jaw.

Open bite: Patients with an open bite malocclusion have upper front teeth that do not come into contact with the lower front teeth when they fully close their jaws.

Crossbite: Patients with a crossbite have at least one tooth that projects either inward (toward the tongue) or outward (toward the cheek) with relation to the tooth either directly above or below it.

Is There Such a Thing As An “Ideal” Bite?

In theory, yes, an ideal bite does exist and it is the goal of an orthodontist to bring “bad bites” as close to the ideal as is possible.

So what does that mean exactly? That means that when the jaws are in contact, we are aiming to see a bite where:

• The upper front teeth are slightly in front of the lower front teeth.
• The upper and lower front teeth overlap slightly so that some of the lower teeth can be seen.
• The upper teeth do not lean toward the tongue or the cheeks with relation to the lower teeth, and vice versa.
• The midline between the two upper central front teeth and the midline between your two lower central front teeth align as closely as possible, and these lines are located as closely as possible to the center of your lips.
• All of your teeth are touching each other, with no spaces between them, and they are not crowded or overlapping.
• The protruding cusps of the upper side teeth fit comfortably within the protruding cusps of the lower side teeth.
• No pain, discomfort, or pressure is felt in the jaw or facial muscles when opening, closing, biting, and chewing.

Learn More About Malocclusion in Roslyn & Whitestone, NY & the Ideal Bite

To learn more about malocclusion and how orthodontic treatment can help you achieve a vastly improved, if not ideal, bite, please contact Avenue Orthodontics today. We proudly provide Invisalign^®, accelerated orthodontics, and a variety of dental braces to patients from Bayside, Whitestone, Flushing, College Point, and the surrounding communities.

The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other orthodontic-related topics, feel free to contact Avenue Orthodontics by clicking here or by calling 516-484-0234 to reach our Roslyn office or 718-767-8400 to reach our Whitestone office.