What is Underbite? Its Types, Causes, Effects, Diagnose, Prevention and Treatment?

Having a perfectly aligned tooth set makes your smile shine brighter. Everyone wishes to have a sweet, perfect smile that makes you feel confident. However, not everyone is blessed with a set of great teeth and sometimes you need a dentist’s intervention to achieve it. An underbite is the misalignment of teeth in which the lower set of your teeth overlaps the upper set of your teeth. Usually occurs due to abnormal placement of jaw. In medical terms, it is known as Class III malocclusion or Prognathism. It makes the face appear like that of a Bulldog.

Underbite vs Normal Bite

What are the Types of Underbites and what Causes them?

Underbites can be classified into two main types which are Skeletal and Dental.

Skeletal

Skeletal Underbites develop due to issues with the jawbone during development. The malformation of the jawbone might create the lower jaw to grow in a way that it overlaps the upper jaw and is placed forward than it. Skeletal Underbites could be present at the time of birth attributed to genetics while some are developed later during the growth and development phase due to disruptions in the normal patterns. Sometimes the upper jaw grows small or the lower jaw protrudes too far or it can be a mix of both that causes the Underbite.

Dental

Dental Underbites occur due to misalignment of teeth. The teeth in the upper and lower jaw do not align properly giving a crisscross or abnormal bite. Some of the common causes of Dental Underbites are as below

  • Thumb sucking
  • Long pacifier or bottle use as a child
  • Jawbone or Face Injuries
  • Tumours of the Jawbone
  • Tongue-Thrusting

What are the Effects of Underbite?

While a little Overbite can be considered “OKAY”, any form of Underbite, whether small or large is not OKAY. There are a lot of issues that arise with an underbite and it needs correction as soon as possible because the longer you wait to correct it, the harder it gets. Underbite can cause problems with chewing or biting food properly due to the misalignment. It can affect your speech greatly and cause slurring and lisping. Constant pressure on the jaw and strain leads to pain in the jaw and face. Underbites increase the formation of cavities in the tooth and sometimes may even lead to a cracked tooth.

Underbite

Mouth breathing is common when it comes to Underbites. Another serious issue with Underbites is Sleep Apnea. Usually, Underbites also lead to certain infections in the mouth which enhance the growth of bacteria leading to bad breath also known as Halitosis. These are the functional disruptions that occur with Underbites. Another quite important effect of Underbite is the unaesthetic look and Low self-esteem due to abnormal facial appearance.

How can you Diagnose an Underbite?

Underbites can usually be self-diagnosed by the way the face appears. Let’s help you check if you have an Underbite. Relax your jaws. Now slowly form a bite by joining your back teeth. Once you do this, assess whether the bite is forming properly, or you are unable to do so. If your lower jaw remains forward or protrudes than your upper jaw, you have an Underbite. Once you establish this, you can contact an Orthodontist who would further perform certain 3D x-rays and imaging studies to get a better overview in order to plan the right treatment for you.

Can you Prevent an Underbite?

In most cases, the Underbite is skeletal which cannot be prevented by any means since it occurs due to developmental disturbances. Certain dental underbites which result due to tumours or injuries cannot be prevented too. Only the Underbites that occur due to bad childhood habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or long term bottle or pacifier use can be prevented.

How to Treat an Underbite and Different Methods for it?

The first question in your mind would be when to start the treatment for Underbite and the answer would be at the earliest. Delaying the Underbite treatment is not advisable considering it won’t get fixed on its own. Early treatment during the childhood helps with more effectiveness. The movement and alignment are easy considering the growth is still taking place. While at an older age, the treatment requires more intervention and might take longer to correct. But it’s never too late to get it corrected. Once the correction is done, you will feel amazing changes in the facial features and the stress on the jaw is relieved which would make it pain-free and increase in the overall happiness for you.

There are numerous ways in which you could treat the Underbite. Your Orthodontist will usually choose the best one for you from the options and sometimes a combination of these methods has also opted to achieve the best results. Few commonly incorporated practices to correct Underbites are:

  • Headgears
  • Invisalign
  • Braces
  • Tooth/Teeth Removal
  • Chin cup
  • Jaw surgery

Headgears

Headgears or Reverse pull facemasks are used for correction of Underbite very often. It is an effective method that incorporates a device that needs to be worn. This device pulls forwards the upper jaw by promoting growth. The device consists of three components the Face frame, the Head cap, and the attachment. The device rests on the forehead of the patient and the attachments are typically done by rubber bands. Headgears are required to be worn for approximately 12-18 months for 12-23 hours a day as suggested by your orthodontist. 

Invisalign

Certain mild cases of Underbite can be corrected with help of Invisalign. However, moderate to severe cases require added procedures along with Invisalign. Underbite surgery is accompanied by the use of Invisalign in the case of people who are much concerned about the aesthetics.

Braces

Braces are usually opted for Underbite correction along with other methods. Braces are required for alignment of teeth during the treatment and sometimes afterward for a short period as well. Aesthetic braces make them more adaptable for use by patients of all ages.

Tooth/Teeth Removal

Teeth removal has opted when there is crowding in the jaw. Less space and more teeth cause a lot of crowding and discomfort hence sometimes your orthodontist might suggest removal of one or multiple teeth. Removing teeth creates space for better alignment and aids in optimal treatment.

Chin cup

Chin cup therapy can be used alone or in combination with headgears for treating Underbites. It changes and alters the growth of the lower jaw by rotating the chin downwards and backward. It helps increase their anterior facial height.

Jaw Surgery

 Underbite Jaw Surgery

Upper or Lower Jaw surgery also medically known as Orthognathic surgery is required in cases that cannot be treated by any other method of treatment. Usually, severe Underbites have Orthognathic surgery as their main option. The surgery involves the removal of a certain part of the jawbone in order to retract the lower jaw backward. If the upper jaw is small, upper jaw expansion along with jawbone removal is done to achieve optimal results. Use of screws and plates is done to avoid any movement back to the previous position. It takes 12-16 weeks to recover after the surgery.

It can be tough living with underbite of any sort whether mild or severe. You wouldn’t believe how wonderful results you have achieved when your Orthodontist would show you your before and after pictures. You would have a better facial appearance to begin with and improved speech with higher self-esteem. So get that treatment done today.

Deepak Kansal
Deepak Kansal

I am a Dental Professional, Acquainted Content writer and creator, Imparting valuable dental knowledge through trickycare.com and working towards making a difference. Any information provided on the Trickycare platform is for general information only and does not constitute professional advice.