The Stow Dental Group Blog

Crossbite, underbite and overbite can lead to a variety of dental complications, some of them painful. And for years, the available solutions for correcting bite problems—ranging from metal braces to surgery—weren’t exactly painless themselves.

With Invisalign, however, bite correction can be achieved simply, comfortably and invisibly.

Common Bite Conditions Correctable with Invisalign

Crossbite is caused by a misalignment between the upper and lower jaws, which leads to a tooth or teeth biting to the inside of the corresponding upper or lower tooth or teeth. Untreated, crossbite can contribute to tooth chipping, abnormal wear, gum disease and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), which generates excessive pressure on the joints that connect the mandible and the skull and can cause headaches and jaw pain among other symptoms.

Distinguished by the lower front teeth extending over the top front teeth, underbite is often hereditary and is the result of the undergrowth of the upper jaw, the overgrowth of the bottom jaw or a combination of both. Like crossbite, underbite can cause teeth to erode prematurely and unevenly, as well as lead to TMJ.

The result of genetics or bad oral habits such as lengthy thumb-sucking or chronic nail-biting and pen-chewing, overbite is characterized by the upper teeth biting over the lower teeth. Overbite can lead to chipped or fractured teeth and contribute to gum disease, root damage and jaw problems.

How Invisalign Modifies Your Smile

The first step to correcting a bite condition with Invisalign is a consultation with an Invisalign provider, like the dental professionals at Stow Dental Group. Your orthodontist can help you determine if Invisalign will work for your individual condition and answer your questions regarding the Invisalign process.

If Invisalign is right for you, the next step is a series of X-rays, digital images and teeth impressions, which your orthodontist will use to outline your treatment plan and create your custom aligners.

The aligners fit over your teeth and are virtually invisible as they gently realign your teeth to the desired position. You change your aligners every two weeks, and your orthodontist will monitor your progress with checkups approximately every six weeks; no painful adjustments are required.

Although the duration required to achieve a new, properly aligned smile varies by patient, most Invisalign treatments take about 12 months.

If you live in the Stow, Akron, Canton or Cleveland, Ohio, areas and think you might be a candidate for Invisalign or would like to schedule a consultation, please contact Stow Dental Group.