Also known as buck teeth, overbite means that your teeth are misaligned, and that your upper teeth overlap your lower ones. Depending on how severe your overbite is, it can affect the way you chew, talk and how you look. An overbite is a teeth misalignment condition that can be caused by certain habits you had as a child like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.
All things being said, can it be fixed? Let’s dive into everything there is to know about overbites, their causes and how they can be corrected for a straighter smile!
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as medical advice. Please consult with your treating dentist for medical advice specific to your condition. Zenyum does not provide medical advice and our systems are doctor-directed treatments.
What is an overbite
Do you have an overbite? Chances are you might not know you have an overbite, until your dentist informs you that you have one. Basically, an overbite happens where your upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth more than they should.
Why you should get overbite corrected
Apart from looking and feeling better about yourself, correcting your overbite can have significant benefits for your health. If left untreated, your overbite could result in more severe health issues.
- Chewing your food may be harder because your teeth don’t meet optimally. The extra effort put into chewing can also create additional tension in your jaw.
- You could be wearing down the back of your teeth while chewing, so your teeth become thinner and weaker. Bacteria can grow easily and there’s a risk it’ll become more painful or difficult to chew over time.
- You may face difficulty in holding your lips together when at rest, which leads to mouth breathing and increases the risk of snoring and sleep apnea
- Speaking more with your tongue so you can’t speak as clearly or pronounce certain vowels. You might even develop a lisp!
How to fix an overbite
Wonder how overbites are treated? There’s several ways to correct an overbite, depending on how severe your case is.
Invisible braces
One way you can correct an overbite is by wearing Invisible Braces. They don’t require brackets and wires, but they can treat your overbite using a series of clear, custom-made plastic aligners to gradually shift your teeth into their desired positions.
You can do a free smile pre-assessment with us and visit one of our partner dentists for a thorough assessment to see if Zenyum Invisible Braces is the right solution for you. Our clear aligners are discreet, removable and comfortable to wear. So you’ll be able to correct your overbite and go about your daily life with few disruptions.
Traditional braces
Another way to correct an overbite is by wearing traditional metal braces. Brackets are adhered to your teeth and strung together by a wire, with the wires tightened to create tooth movement and gradually reposition the teeth. But metal braces can often look unsightly and may not look great on your smile.
While they can fix your overbite, they’re more uncomfortable to wear because of prickly metal wires that are used during braces treatment.
Surgery
More severe overbite cases may cause difficulty in chewing, speech impediments or jaw pain. When this happens, your dentist may recommend that you undergo surgery to fix this. This happens when braces treatment is not enough to correct any irregularities in jaw development. The procedure involves making cuts to your jawbone, allowing your jaw to be repositioned.
Before Invisible Braces: Assessing the overbite
Taking the first step towards a straighter smile is really simple. Here’s what you can expect when you start your Smile Journey with Zenyum:
Free smile check
Get a free smile check by taking 4 teeth photos and answering a couple of questions about your teeth so that we can understand your concerns, and see whether our clear aligners can help transform your smile.
Thorough evaluation
Once you’re eligible for Zenyum Invisible Braces, we’ll schedule an appointment to meet your treating dentist. At the clinic, your dentist takes X-rays, 3D scans and does a thorough check to ensure that your oral health is in tip-top shape before wearing clear aligners.
Treatment plan
Remember those scans that were taken at the clinic? They’re used to create your treatment plan, which includes the treatment your dentist has prescribed, duration, number of aligner sets you need to wear. Plus, you’ll get a 3D digital model of your smile, showing how your teeth will gradually get straighter with every aligner you wear.
Rest assured, your dentist checks and approves the plan before it reaches you. So you’ll know that the treatment plan is designed to give you the smile you deserve!
During braces treatment
Wondering what your Smile Journey will be like? Read on to learn more.
Your Smile Journey Begins!
Once you give the green light on your treatment plan, we’ll start producing your aligners. Attend a fitting appointment to collect all the aligner sets required for your treatment, and to try your aligners on.
Your dentist will show you how to wear and care for your aligners, as well as help you if your aligners don’t fit well. During the appointment, you may have to do an Interproximal Reduction (IPR) procedure based on what your dentist has prescribed.
Track your progress via the Zenyum app
Enjoy more visibility and control, and take charge of your treatment with our new and improved ZenyumClear™ Smile Journey.
See all treatment information at a glance, and keep track of your Smile Journey as you move from one aligner set to the next. Update treatment progress, upload teeth photos, and know when your next appointment is – all in one place.
Visiting the dentist
Apart from your first consultation and going to the dentist for your fitting appointment, you’ll visit the dentist for check ups during your aligner journey as indicated in your treatment plan.
At these checkups, you may be required to do IPR procedures as prescribed by your treating dentist. As your treatment is about to end, you’ll visit the dentist once more for a final check to get approved for retainers.
After braces: The transformation
At this stage, you’re probably down to your final few sets. It’s time to be proud of how far you’ve come, the work you’ve put in and the new smile you finally have!
Improved bite
Yay, you won’t have an overbite anymore! Your teeth will be aligned to function optimally and you’ll look much better with a straighter smile.
With a healthy bite, there won’t be any unnecessary strain on your jaw, you’ll be able to speak better and also enjoy better oral hygiene too.
Refinements (if required)
If any slight adjustments are required for a straighter smile, we’ll produce your refinement aligners for free*. You only need to pay for refinement scans, to capture a more up-to-date image of your teeth.
Zenyum will provide refinement aligners at no charge, but only if you have uploaded at least 75% of the total photos required on the Zenyum App and if it is within your treatment period.
Retainers
ZenyumClear™ Retainers are clear, custom-made, and designed to be worn after completing your Zenyum Invisible Braces treatment. Your retainers are personalised to your smile, and features a scallop-trim cut that gives you a more comfortable wearing experience.
Unlike traditional metal braces, ZenyumClear™ Retainers are barely noticeable and fit seamlessly with any lifestyle.
Before and After: Overbite
Zenyum Invisible Braces has managed to transform this patient’s overbite, over a period of 10 months. After 30 aligners sets and 5 visits to the clinic, this patient’s overbite was finally corrected! Check out the amazing results we were able to achieve!
FAQs
How do I know if I have an overbite?
While getting your treating dentist’s opinion is the best way to determine if you have an overbite, here’s a quick way to see if you might have one.
Step 1: Stand in front of a mirror
Step 2: Place your teeth together normally while keeping your jaw relaxed. Avoid biting down hard or using force — you want to check the natural position of your teeth.
Step 3: Smile to reveal your teeth and check for the following signs:
- Do your upper front teeth cover more than a quarter of your lower front teeth?
- Are your upper front teeth touching your bottom gum?
- Are your lower teeth biting close to or touching the roof of your mouth?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, you may have an overbite that requires attention. It’s best to get your dentist to look at it.
How to fix overbite naturally?
Although we may realise that we have an overbite, we may not want to fix it because of several factors like the price of treating it. Trying to correct your overbite by yourself is not recommended, and you may end up damaging your teeth and gums.
That’s why it’s best to consult a treating dentist about your overbite. Get started with a FREE Smile Check to see if you’re eligible for Zenyum Invisible Braces.
Can braces change face shape?
Your face shape is determined by the structure of your facial bones such as the brow bone, jawbone and cheekbone. Sometimes, having an overbite can affect the way you look, because of the way your teeth are positioned.
While braces cannot change your facial structure such as your jawline, surgery is required if you want to reshape your jaw.
Having straighter teeth can improve the way you look. They’re often subtle changes, but these can have a significant impact on your overall appearance.
Facing bite problems?
We’re here to help! Correct your overbite with Zenyum Invisible Braces.
