Is There A Perfect Bite?
At The Best Braces, we often hear new patients explain that they want their smile to look perfect. Each person’s idea of perfection is different. When treating patients with orthodontics, we are looking to perfect a person’s bite. Your bite is the way your top and bottom teeth come together when the back teeth are touching. So, is there a “perfect” bite?
Does the Perfect Bite Exist?
When a new patient visits our office for a consultation, we are looking at any problems with the way the teeth come together. Patients can experience any number of bite problems, such as overbite, crossbite, underbite, and protrusion. Patients that have bite problems may also have dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, and jaw discomfort. In addition, they may notice speech issues and have problems chewing correctly.
When we devise an orthodontic treatment plan for our patients, our goal is to create the perfect bite. For a perfect bite, the upper teeth should be slightly over the bottom teeth when the back molars are touching. The bottom teeth should never touch the backs of the top teeth. Our goal is for our patients to finish treatment with a perfect bite, but realistically, we can say that some of our patients may finish treatment with an ideal bite.
How to Maintain Bite
One of the biggest problems when patients complete orthodontic treatment is that their teeth begin to shift out of alignment again. This is extremely common and the main reason we provide patients with a retainer and strict instructions to follow. After months or years of receiving orthodontic treatment, it would be a shame for it all to go to waste because your teeth have shifted out of place and your bite is affected.
If you are interested in learning more about orthodontic treatment for yourself or a loved one, we would love to offer a consultation to determine which treatment plan would best suit your needs. Be sure to contact our office, which is located in Southfield, MI. We look forward to hearing from you soon!