My wife has braces and a small overbite. Before she can get her bottom braces on, the orthodontist said she needs time for the top ones to "open things up" a bit so she's not biting on the bottom braces when they get put on.
Because she was told a lot of things and asked a lot of questions, this one kind of got missed.
Does anyone know how braces for an overbite would "open up" anything so a person wouldn't hit the bottom braces with the top teeth? You'd think that with a slight overbite you wouldn't want anything more "open".
We don't get it.
Will be asking him at the next visit but are curious now. lol
2007-10-22 14:37:10 · 5 answers · asked by Svelte 2 in Health ➔ Dental
THE BITE IS 'OPENED' WHEN THE BRACES ADJUST THE BITE IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT THERE IS MORE SPACE BETWEEN ON THE TEETH WHEN SHE BITES DOWN. THIS CAN BE DONE BY PLACING WIRES WHICH CAUSE AN UPPER FORCE TO GENTLY PUSH THE UPPER TEETH UPWARD THEREBY OPENING HER BITE.
2007-10-22 16:04:55 · answer #1 · answered by Dr. Albert, DDS, (USA) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't explain in technical terms why/how "things open up", but I also had an overbite and my top braces went on first, and then about 7 months later I got my bottom ones. I just finished my treatment and I am very happy with the result, and what I can tell you from my own experience is that sometimes during the orthodontic treatment things work sort of... backwards. For example, some teeth get moved back/front just for a little while and then when the bite aligns properly teeth get moved back where they need to be. There's a lot of fine tuning involved and you just need to be patient to see the desired results. Good luck to your wife :)
2007-10-22 15:09:10 · answer #2 · answered by G V 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the pressure is pulling them either father back in the jaw or forward to prepare the teeth for bottom braces. I got mine both at the same time and I couldn't bite down for a while, but my bite shifted little by little and fits a bit better now. It depends on your orthodontist on how they want to do things.
2007-10-22 14:43:54 · answer #3 · answered by JJ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can have surgery but that's too expensive and painful. Just wear the braces, it only lasts from 1 - 3 years
2016-03-15 21:21:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, it seems liek hes meaning hte opposite. its closing things.
2007-10-22 14:49:31 · answer #5 · answered by Nessa. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋