Sunday, September 25, 2011

Stouffville Orthodontist Defines Orthodontic Malocclusion

Your orthodontist in Markham and Stouffville, Ontario wants to keep you educated on all aspects of your orthodontic treatment.  The technical term for a “bad bite” is a malocclusion. There are many different types of malocclusions depending on what the exact nature of the problem.
Orthodontists use a 3 classification system to describe malocclusions:
1.  Class 1-  the back teeth fit together as they should, but there are other issues such as crowding, rotations, spacing, etc.
2.  Class 2-  the upper teeth are too far forward compared to the bottom teeth, along with issues described above (typically referred to as an "overbite", but the technical term is overjet)
3.  Class 3-  the lower teeth are too far forward compare to the upper ones, along with issues described above (often referred to as an underbite)
The problem with malocclusions is not only cosmetic.  They may cause teeth to be more easily traumatized, cause excessive wear of enamel, and contribute to issues such as TMJ disorder.  Fortunately, Dr. Tam and his team at MCO are specialists in correcting these kinds of issues so that you can have both a beautiful and healthy smile!  We have many different options including Invisalign, so don't be afraid to come in for a free consultation :).

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