Braces are commonly associated with straightening teeth, leading many to wonder if they also play a role in aligning the jaw. While traditional braces primarily focus on tooth movement, orthodontic treatment as a whole often incorporates methods that can influence jaw position and growth. Understanding the distinct functions of different orthodontic tools clarifies how a comprehensive approach addresses both dental alignment and jaw harmony.
What Braces Primarily Do
Traditional braces, composed of metal brackets and wires, primarily align individual teeth by applying gentle, continuous pressure. Each bracket is bonded to a tooth, and a flexible archwire connects them, gradually shifting teeth into desired positions. This process involves bone remodeling, effectively correcting issues like crowded teeth, gaps, and crooked alignment. The initial phase of treatment focuses on leveling and aligning teeth. As treatment progresses, archwires are adjusted to refine tooth positioning and begin addressing bite problems. While braces directly move teeth, this movement can indirectly improve the overall fit of the upper and lower dental arches.
How Orthodontic Treatment Can Influence Jaw Position
While braces primarily move teeth, comprehensive orthodontic treatment often involves additional appliances designed to directly influence jaw position and guide jaw growth. These appliances work with braces as part of the overall treatment plan.
Orthodontic Elastics
Orthodontic elastics, commonly known as rubber bands, connect to brackets on the upper and lower jaws. They apply targeted force to guide the bite and adjust jaw position. This continuous pressure helps correct discrepancies like overbites, underbites, and crossbites by encouraging proper jaw alignment.
Functional Appliances
Functional appliances are typically used in growing children and teenagers whose jaws are still developing. These devices, which can be removable or fixed, aim to modify jawbone growth by encouraging the patient to bite and chew in an improved position. Examples include the Herbst appliance, which pushes the lower jaw forward to correct overbites, and the Twin Block, used to promote forward growth of the lower jaw.
Palatal Expanders
Palatal expanders are designed to widen a narrow upper jaw. This device fits in the roof of the mouth and gradually separates the two halves of the jawbone, creating more space for crowded teeth and improving the relationship between the upper and lower jaws.
Headgear
Headgear applies external pressure to guide jaw growth or restrict the growth of the upper jaw. It is often used to correct severe bite issues such as overbites or underbites by applying gentle, continuous pressure to move teeth and jaws into the desired position over time.
Common Jaw Misalignments Addressed
Orthodontic treatment, often utilizing jaw-influencing appliances, addresses specific types of jaw misalignments, medically termed malocclusions.
Overbite (Class II Malocclusion)
An overbite occurs when the upper teeth or jaw protrude significantly over the lower teeth. This can result in the lower front teeth biting into the roof of the mouth or excessive overlap.
Underbite (Class III Malocclusion)
An underbite is characterized by the lower jaw or teeth extending beyond the upper teeth.
Crossbite
A crossbite involves upper teeth fitting inside the lower teeth when the jaws are closed, rather than outside. This can affect individual teeth or groups of teeth.
Open Bite
An open bite is where a gap exists between the upper and lower teeth when the jaws are closed, meaning they do not meet.
These misalignments can lead to difficulties with chewing, speaking, uneven tooth wear, or jaw joint issues.
Treatment Considerations for Jaw Alignment
The approach to jaw alignment in orthodontic treatment is significantly influenced by the patient’s age and growth stage.
Children and Adolescents
Jaw alignment is most effectively influenced in children and adolescents because their jaw bones are still developing and more pliable. During these developmental years, orthodontic appliances can guide jaw growth and reduce the severity of potential issues. Early intervention, often recommended around age seven, allows orthodontists to assess jaw growth and address concerns proactively.
Adults
For adults, whose jaw bones are fully developed, non-surgical methods have limitations for significant jaw alignment. While less severe cases might still be managed with braces and other appliances, severe skeletal discrepancies often require orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery) in conjunction with braces. This surgery repositions the jawbones to achieve proper alignment and improve function. Surgical orthodontics is considered when braces alone cannot correct the underlying skeletal size or position mismatch between the upper and lower jaws.