Oral surgery for Overbites, Underbites, or Other MalocclusionsYour smile is a major part of your life, allowing you to create new friendships, bond with loved ones, and even advance at work. However, if you have problems with malocclusion (an issue that can occur when your jaw and teeth do not properly align), then you may find yourself refusing to share your smile with the world. Furthermore, while problems with malocclusion can negatively impact your appearance, it does not stop there. You may notice your quality of life is also impaired, and you have problems eating, talking, and even breathing. We understand how difficult malocclusion can be for you and we approach it with both compassion and expertise. We here at Pacific Oral & Facial Surgery Center often believe that surgical intervention for malocclusion can improve both your quality of life and your confidence! How Can Oral Surgery Improve my Malocclusion?For some patients, malocclusion cannot be treated merely by orthodontic intervention. While orthodontia can be used in conjunction with surgery, for these cases of malocclusion, surgery must be considered to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient. Oral surgery can treat a wide variety of problems with malocclusion, including an overbite, an underbite, and crossbite. An overbite occurs when your upper teeth close over your bottom teeth, concealing them. This can lead to a “bucktoothed” appearance in patients and is often a source of great insecurity. Overbites are fairly common, and mild overbites do not always need treatment, but they become a problem when the overlap from the top teeth over the bottom teeth is greater than 30 percent. There are two main types of overbite that can occur. The one that most people are familiar with is vertical overbite when the top front teeth overlap the bottom front teeth. However, the overlap can occur on the sides, too, leading to a horizontal overbite. Surgery to treat an overbite includes adjusting the placement of the teeth, and realigning the jaw by changing the amount of bone material is present in it. We may either add or remove bone in the area to get the desired outcome. An underbite is the opposite of an overbite. This occurs when the bottom teeth extend over the top teeth. Sometimes this can lead to painful pressure from the bottom teeth on the upper portion of the mouth. An underbite can cause a “bulldog” type appearance in patients, and a jutting lower jaw. Speaking, eating, and pain are common with an underbite. Surgery for an underbite sometimes includes removing teeth to make way for orthodontia. We may also change the shape of the lower or the upper jaw. The upper jaw may be lengthened, or we may shorten the lower jaw to correct the underbite.To learn more about how we treat malocclusion with oral surgery, or to set up an appointment for a consultation to determine if you may be a good candidate for any of these procedures, please give us here at Pacific Oral & Facial Surgery Center a call today at 925-290-7727! |
Board certified in Oral & Maxillofacial surgery The surgical specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery requires up to six additional years of hospital based surgical and anesthesia training beyond dental school. |
Contact Pacific Oral and Facial Surgery Center Today! The first step to a healthier, happier you.Hours:
Monday-Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday 7:00 am - 1:00 pm Livermore 1133 E. Stanley Blvd. #215 • Livermore, CA 94550Phone: 925-290-7727 Fax: 925-294-8800 Email: info@pacificofs.com Tracy 2160 W. Grant Line Road #160 • Tracy, CA 95377Phone: 209-835-4600 • Fax: 209-835-8833 Email: info@pacificofs.com |