Jaw alignment, known as occlusion, refers to the way upper and lower teeth meet when the mouth closes. Proper jaw alignment is important for effective chewing, clear speech, and balanced facial aesthetics. Misaligned jaws, or malocclusions, are a common issue that can affect oral health and overall well-being. Orthodontic treatment, including braces, often plays a role in addressing these alignment concerns.
Understanding Jaw Misalignment
Jaw misalignment encompasses various conditions where the upper and lower jaws do not fit together harmoniously. One common type is Class II malocclusion, an overbite, where the upper front teeth and jaw protrude significantly beyond the lower ones. This can be due to a recessed lower jaw or an overly prominent upper jaw.
Conversely, Class III malocclusion, an underbite, involves the lower jaw and teeth extending forward past the upper jaw and teeth. This condition can create a concave facial profile. Both overbites and underbites can lead to difficulties in chewing food properly and may affect speech clarity.
Crossbites, where some upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth, and open bites, where front or back teeth do not meet at all when the mouth is closed, also represent forms of jaw misalignment. These issues can contribute to uneven wear on teeth, discomfort in the temporomandibular joints, and challenges with biting and speaking. Addressing these misalignments is important for long-term oral health and function.
How Braces Correct Jaw Position
Braces primarily work by applying gentle forces to move teeth into desired positions within the dental arches. While their direct action is on tooth placement, this movement influences the overall jaw relationship. As teeth are guided into proper alignment, they can encourage the jaw to settle into a more harmonious bite. This establishes proper interlocking of the upper and lower teeth, which can improve jaw positioning.
The components of braces, including brackets, wires, and elastic bands, work together to achieve these changes. Brackets are bonded to the teeth, anchoring the archwire that connects them. The archwire, shaped to an ideal arch, exerts pressure to gradually shift teeth.
Interarch elastics, often worn between the upper and lower braces, are important in guiding jaw alignment. These elastics apply forces between the jaws, helping to correct discrepancies like overbites or underbites by guiding the jaws into correct alignment. Through these coordinated forces, braces can refine the bite and balance the jaw relationship.
Orthodontic Appliances for Jaw Correction
For more significant jaw discrepancies, orthodontists often use specialized appliances in conjunction with or prior to braces. Headgear is an external appliance that can modify jaw growth. High-pull headgear can restrict forward growth of the upper jaw, while cervical-pull headgear can influence the position of the upper molars and the lower jaw.
Palatal expanders widen the upper jaw, often when it’s too narrow for a proper bite. These devices gradually expand the palate, creating more space and improving alignment between the upper and lower arches. Functional appliances, such as the Herbst appliance or Twin Block, encourage or restrict jaw growth. The Herbst appliance, for example, positions the lower jaw forward to correct a recessed chin. The Twin Block guides the jaws into a more favorable relationship.
In cases of severe jaw misalignment in adults where growth modification is no longer possible, orthognathic surgery may be necessary. This surgical procedure repositions the jawbones to achieve proper alignment and bite. The decision to use specific appliances or consider surgery depends on the patient’s age, the severity of the misalignment, and the underlying cause.
The Jaw Alignment Treatment Process
The journey to correcting jaw misalignment begins with a diagnostic phase. This involves clinical examinations, dental impressions for models, and X-rays to assess tooth and jaw positions. This information allows the orthodontist to develop an individualized treatment plan.
The active treatment phase involves regular appointments, where the orthodontist adjusts the braces and other appliances. Patient compliance with wearing elastics or removable appliances is important for successful outcomes. The duration of this phase ranges from 18 to 36 months, depending on the complexity of the case.
Age plays a role in treatment options; early intervention during childhood or adolescence leverages natural growth processes to guide jaw development. For adults, treatment may focus more on tooth movement and, in severe instances, may require surgical intervention to achieve optimal jaw alignment. Following active treatment, a retention phase is essential, using retainers to maintain the new positions and prevent relapse.