What are Overjet Teeth, and How are They Different from Overbite

You may have seen some people with their front teeth from the upper raw protruding outward. This condition is the overjet and one of the most annoying orthodontic conditions. If you have this condition, your teeth, oral hygiene, and overall health can be at risk. Not to mention the damage it does to a person’s self-esteem. Overjet teeth result from abnormal growth, genetic disorders, or bad habits. This condition is also annoying because it is easily visible, and there is no way of hiding it.

Like most orthodontic conditions, overjet also starts to develop during early teeth ages. This condition occurs when baby teeth fall and new teeth grow. If you are taking your child to visit the dentist regularly, your dentist will pick on the subtle changes. Early detection and prevention is always the best option you have. You can save years worth of expenses and hardships with a little effort.

Causes of Overjet

Thumb or Pacifier Sucking

Overuse of a pacifier is very destructive to teeth alignment. The two main reasons for teeth unalignment are thumb sucking and overuse of a pacifier. Parents need to ensure that their children do not use a pacifier above the age of two. If the children start to have thumbs, parents must make them give up the habit as soon as possible.

Late Growth

If a child’s teeth grow slowly or start late, there are high chances of overjet teeth. This is because children have a reflex of pushing newly growing teeth with their tongues. Therefore the slower the teeth grow, the more children will push them. With enough time, the teeth can be moved out of alignment and outwards, causing an overjet bite.

Diseases and Genetic Disorders

Conditions like autism can cause overjet teeth. However, autism is not the actual cause. Instead, the inability to control one’s reflexes causes the condition. A child with autism would keep on pushing their teeth involuntarily. On the other hand, leukemia does not always cause the overjet bite. But it certainly can because this disease affects all bones, including teeth and jaw.

Overjet Vs Overbite

While in Overbite, the upper jaw overlaps the low jaw, while the front teeth grow straight downwards. Overbite is a condition of the jaw. On the other hand, in the overjet bite, the jaw stays in place while the teeth protrude straight outwards. This is a condition for the teeth alone. In some cases, a patient has both overjet and overbite at once, but this condition is rare.

People often confuse overjet vs overbite because both cause similar problems. These conditions can cause difficulty speaking, eating, closing mouth, involuntarily opening mouth, mouth breathing, and snoring during a constantly open mouth.

Conclusion

Overjet teeth are preventable but if you already suffer from the condition, visit your dentist. They will know what to do. If you need dental experts in Cypress, Texas, please contact Texas Premier Dental at (281) 206-0100.