An overbite, often referred to as a deep bite, is a common form of dental misalignment where the upper front teeth vertically overlap the lower front teeth by an excessive amount. While a slight vertical overlap is considered normal, an excessive overbite can lead to oral health issues, including wear on the teeth and potential jaw problems. Many people seek correction and frequently wonder if a retainer can accomplish the necessary movement.
Understanding Active Appliances Versus Retainers
Orthodontic devices are categorized by their primary function: active tooth movement or passive stabilization. Active appliances apply consistent, directional pressure to the teeth and jawbones, physically moving them into new positions over time. This category includes devices like traditional braces and clear aligner systems, which are designed to create the necessary biological changes for correction.
Retainers are classified as passive appliances because their function is to hold the teeth in their newly corrected alignment. They do not generate the sustained force required to move teeth through the bone structure. Their purpose is to prevent relapse—the tendency for teeth to shift back toward their original positions after treatment is complete.
The Retainer’s Function After Overbite Correction
A retainer cannot actively fix an overbite because its design is fundamentally passive. Its true purpose begins immediately after the active phase of orthodontic treatment is finished. The biological necessity for retention is due to the surrounding tissues—the bone, gums, and periodontal ligaments—which require time to reorganize and stabilize around the new tooth positions.
Without retention, the fibers within the gums and ligaments have a “memory” of the original alignment and can pull the teeth back, a phenomenon called relapse. Correction of a deep overbite can relapse at a rate between 20% and 40% if not properly maintained. To counteract this, orthodontists use different types of retainers. The removable Hawley retainer often includes an anterior bite plane to help stabilize the vertical correction. A fixed retainer is a thin wire bonded directly to the back surfaces of the front teeth for continuous, permanent stabilization.
Primary Methods Used to Fix Overbites
Since a retainer is not a corrective tool, professional treatment relies on active appliances that can achieve controlled tooth and jaw movement.
Traditional Braces
Traditional braces, which use brackets bonded to the teeth and connected by archwires, are highly effective for moderate to severe overbites. The wires apply continuous force that remodels the bone surrounding the tooth roots, allowing the teeth to move vertically and horizontally into a corrected position.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligner therapy is also used to correct overbites, especially in mild to moderate cases, by using a series of custom-made plastic trays. The mechanism often involves the intrusion of the incisor teeth or the extrusion of the molars to open the bite vertically.
Functional Appliances
For growing children and adolescents, functional appliances, such as the Twin Block or Herbst appliance, are used to guide jaw development. These devices harness the natural forces of muscle activity to encourage the lower jaw to grow forward, addressing the skeletal component of the overbite.
Orthognathic Surgery
In the most severe cases where the jaw discrepancy is significant and cannot be corrected by tooth movement or growth modification alone, orthognathic surgery may be necessary. This surgical approach involves physically repositioning the jawbones to achieve proper alignment. The choice of method depends heavily on the patient’s age, the severity of the malocclusion, and the underlying cause.
Classifying Overbites: Dental Versus Skeletal Issues
The treatment path is determined by whether the overbite is classified as a dental or skeletal issue. A dental overbite occurs when the excessive vertical overlap is primarily due to the position of the teeth themselves, such as when the front teeth have over-erupted. These cases are generally easier to treat, often responding well to appliances that focus on tooth intrusion or repositioning.
A skeletal overbite is rooted in a structural discrepancy between the upper and lower jaws. This often involves a lower jaw that is too small or set back relative to the upper jaw, resulting in a Class II malocclusion. Skeletal issues are more complex and require treatment that modifies jaw growth in younger patients or involves surgery in adults whose growth has ceased. Understanding this distinction is fundamental, as a skeletal problem cannot be resolved by simply moving the teeth with a retainer.