Overbite Correction: What Is It & How to Properly Correct It

An overbite is a type of malocclusion, or teeth misalignment. Sometimes an overbite is called buck teeth, a deep bite, or overjet teeth. With an overbite, the upper front teeth extend over the lower front teeth. They may appear to protrude outward. 

Overbites are often caused by genetics, but they may also be caused by an accident, childhood behavior (such as pacifier use and thumb sucking), or other oral habits (including nail biting or teeth grinding). 

Overbites can affect appearance and self-esteem, but they can also increase the risk of other oral health problems like decay, enamel wear, and gum problems. Some individuals with severe overbites may have to undergo jaw surgery or tooth extraction to correct their issues. 

Many people may have the choice of braces treatment, sometimes with the use of orthodontic appliances. Those with mild to moderate overbites may fix their smile and bite with clear aligners, which are available through an orthodontist or online aligner companies that provide a completely remote doctor-supervised treatment plan.

What is an Overbite?

An overbite is a type of teeth misalignment where the upper teeth sit too far in front of the lower teeth.

Overbites are a common type of malocclusion, and not all overbites need correction. In fact, with a normal natural bite, the front teeth sit slightly in front of the lower teeth. But with an overbite, the upper teeth sit too far beyond the lower teeth. This causes alignment problems and can result in issues like crooked teeth, spacing problems, crowding, and tooth abrasion.

Key Facts about Overbite Correction

• According to 2018 research completed by the Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics, a global study of children and adults found that approximately 22 percent had an overbite.1
• An overbite simply means that the top front teeth extend too far beyond the lower front teeth. An overlap of more than 2 to 3 millimeters is usually considered an overbite in need of treatment. 
• An overbite is often the result of genetics, but it can also be caused by childhood habits like thumb sucking and pacifier use, oral behaviors like nail biting and tongue thrusting, and injuries and mouth trauma. 
• Overbite treatment may include jaw surgery, tooth removal, orthodontic appliances, braces, and clear aligners. Some severe cases may require a combination of treatments.
• If left untreated, an overbite can cause health problems that include tooth decay, gum disease, tooth damage, jaw disorders, and eating and speech problems.

Types of Overbites

There are different classifications of overbite, including these:

• Skeletal overbite: This type of overbite is caused by irregular or problematic jawbone development.
• Dental overbite: This is an overbite that is caused by tooth development issues like crowding, missing teeth, poor oral care, or mouth trauma.
• Impinging overbite: This is the most severe type of overbite that causes lower teeth to abrasively come into contact with the palate of the mouth. Serious trauma and even a loss of front teeth could occur if left untreated.
• Overlapping scale: Orthodontists measure how serious an overbite is by the percentage of overlapping of the top teeth over the lower (10–30 percent). The higher the percentage, the more serious and complex the overbite in question is.

What Causes Overbites?

Like most forms of malocclusion, major causes of all forms of overbite are genetics and hereditary bite and jaw problems. 

Other causes may include the following:

• Jaw development problems, including jaws that aren’t large enough to allow for teeth to grow in properly
• Prolonged use of sippy cups or pacifiers as a child
• Teeth grinding
• Thumb sucking as a child
• Nail biting
• Tongue thrusting
• An untreated lost tooth

What are the Symptoms of Overbites?

The most obvious symptom of an overbite is the appearance of the teeth. The top front teeth may look like they are protruding out in front of the lower teeth or overlapping too much.

Other symptoms of an overbite include the following:

• Problems chewing and biting into foods
• Speech problems, including lisps
• Mouth breathing
• Jaw disorders, including TMJ
• Teeth grinding
• Difficulty cleaning in between teeth
• Tooth decay problems, like cavities
• Gum irritation and inflammation
• Weakened tooth enamel from abrasion or bad bite patterns

How is an Overbite Diagnosed?

An overbite will be diagnosed by a dentist. They may recognize it as part of your regular exam or after x-rays. Depending upon the severity of your overbite, they may recommend treatment or refer you to an orthodontist.

If you suspect you have a mild overbite, you can also get a mail-order impression kit from a clear aligner company to see if this type of treatment will work for you. If it’s determined that you’re not a candidate, some aligner providers (including Byte) will refund you the cost of the impression kit.

Treatment Options for Overbite Correction

The type of treatment that you’ll need to correct your overbite will depend on how severe your misalignment is and what’s causing it.

Overbite treatments include the following:

Can I Prevent an Overbite?

Because many cases of overbite are caused by hereditary factors, there is often nothing that can be done to prevent this type of misalignment. 

However, some oral habits can increase the risk of overbite, including prolonged thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and teeth grinding. Avoiding these habits, especially during childhood and adolescence, can help to prevent overbite in some cases. 

Some sippy cups and extended pacifier use can also lead to an overbite. If you’re worried that your child’s oral habits could be causing bite problems, speak to their dentist.

Missing teeth can also cause an overbite and bite problems in general. When a tooth is lost, the other teeth may shift into misalignment. Treating a missing tooth quickly can help to prevent this.

While many cases of overbite cannot be prevented, you can avoid some of the complications from an overbite by doing these things:

• Practice good oral hygiene, and take extra care to keep any areas (like narrow passages between the teeth or gaps) clean of bacteria and particle buildup. This can help fight off the decay and gum problems associated with overbites.
• Keep up with regular dentist appointments and ensure your dentist is monitoring your overbite situation. Be sure to tell your dentist about any mouth irritation or jaw pain you are experiencing. 
• Address any jaw or TMJ issues before the problem gets worse.
• Consider treatment for your orthodontic problems. Even if your overbite seems minor, correcting it could improve your self-esteem and oral health. Completing an at-home aligner impression kit could help you determine If you’re a candidate for easy at-home treatment.

References

Overbite. (March 2021). Cleveland Clinic. Date fetched: December 2, 2022.

Malocclusion. (November 2021). Cleveland Clinic. Date fetched: December 2, 2022.

Overjet vs. Overbite: What’s the Difference? (January 2023). Colgate. Date fetched: January 17, 2023.

Two Options for Replacing Lost Teeth. (November 2016). Harvard Medical School. Date fetched: December 2, 2022.

Orthodontics: Wearing Cervical Headgear. Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Date fetched: December 2, 2022.

Palatal Expander. (June 2022). Cleveland Clinic. Date fetched: December 2, 2022.

Medical References

1 Global Distribution of Malocclusion Traits: A Systematic Review. (November 2018). Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics.