{"id":5800,"date":"2022-09-27T11:06:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T15:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolinacompletedental.com\/?p=5800"},"modified":"2025-05-05T16:51:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T16:51:07","slug":"the-way-your-teeth-meet-overbite-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinacompletedental.com\/blog\/the-way-your-teeth-meet-overbite-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"The Way Your Teeth Meet: Overbite Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you know the status of your occlusion? That\u2019s the technical term used to describe the way your maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth align. If you happen to have a bite that doesn\u2019t connect quite right\u2014or at all\u2014it\u2019s referred to as a <\/span>malocclusion<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

You might ask yourself, \u201cWell, I can eat and speak without any difficulty, so does the way my teeth touch really matter?\u201d Goose Creek dentists at Carolina Complete Dental Care<\/a> are here to explain why your occlusion is important and focus on the impacts of an <\/span>overbite<\/span><\/a>. Stay tuned to our blog for discussions on other types of bites, too!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goldilocks & The Three Bites<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When determining whether your bite is properly aligned, the size of your jaws is considered as well as the size of your teeth in proportion to your jaw. With ideal alignment, your teeth should meet at the same time and with equally distributed amounts of pressure. For this to happen, the fine points of your teeth (called cusps) must be arranged like puzzle pieces meant to fit together instead of a corner piece being forced into the middle. It might be a strange visual, but it works when we delve into how an improper bite can cause pain. First, let\u2019s continue discussing the signs of a healthy bite!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s normal for the upper jaw to be a little bit larger than your lower jaw, and for your upper set of teeth to overlap your bottom teeth ever so slightly. This harmonious connection permits you to chew food without frequently chomping into your cheeks and tongue, and protects your crowns from excessive wear. So, you want a jaw and bite alignment that isn\u2019t too far forward or too far back, but <\/span>just right<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Know the Pieces Fit<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Back to the puzzle piece analogy\u2014if your jaws and teeth are disproportionate and don\u2019t fit well together, this incompatibility can cause actions that would otherwise come naturally to take more effort and potentially cause pain. When it comes to overbites specifically, complications can include: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n