Does your teenager always complain about the look of his or her top teeth hanging over the bottom ones? He or she might have a condition that is called overbite and getting it corrected by a dentist should be a top priority to prevent problems in the future. The article below will explain some of the complications that your teenager might experience if you don't get overbite corrected soon enough.
1. A Change in How the Face Looks
Overbite can affect the profile of your teen's face if it is not corrected. For instance, the condition can cause your teen to have a shorter looking face on the bottom due to the chin appearing smaller from the position of the jawbones. His or her lips may also appear thinner due to how the top teeth protrude over the bottom ones. The change of profile can lead to your teen feeling embarrassed when around his or her peers.
2. A Lisp Might Develop
A lisp is basically a speech condition that leads to someone pronouncing words with a strange sound. The worse that overbite becomes, the more of a speech problem your child can have. The lisp comes from the tongue not being positioned as it should be when words are spoken. For instance, overbite can lead to the tongue sticking out past your teen's teeth when he or she speaks instead of resting behind them so air can flow properly down the center of it. The way air flows off of the tongue as words are spoken makes a big different in how they sound coming out.
3. Improper Chewing When Eating Food
The way that teeth are positioned with overbite leads to problems with chewing food. Your child might have a hard time chewing foods that are not soft. The reason for the chewing problem is due to the top and bottom teeth not properly meeting when biting down. Your teen will still be able to chew hard foods, but will have to come up with a strategic way to chew that helps the front and bottom teeth meet.
4. Teeth Grinding
Overbite can cause your teen to begin grinding his or her teeth. You don't want your teen to develop a teeth grinding habit because it can lead to the enamel wearing down in a speedy manner. The grinding can also cause pain in the neck and ears. Speak to a pediatric dentist about your teen's overbite to find out what kind of treatment is necessary to correct the problem. Contact a clinic like Kids Dental Tree to get started.
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