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An open bite is a term used to describe when the upper and lower teeth are unable to make physical contact with each other when the jaws are closed.
There are three general reasons why an open bite can be present: dental, skeletal, or due to a habit.
Some children develop an opening in their bite when they have a mix of baby and permanent teeth. The teeth won’t quite match up until a child has lost all of his or her baby teeth and gotten all their permanent teeth.
An open bite caused by poor oral habits can be due to:
- Sucking of the lower lip
- Thumb sucking: babies have a natural instinct to suck, and they often suck thumbs and fingers in their infancy to comfort themselves. Studies researched at major dental institutions have shown the ideal time to stop thumb sucking is around age 3 or 4. There are many pediatric dentists who claim alterations to your child’s bite caused by thumb sucking are reversible if the child stops before the permanent teeth begin to develop, which happens around age 5 or 6. Continuing the habit beyond this age can result in the need for orthodontic correction.
- Tongue thrusting (also known as infantile swallow): a poor swallowing pattern where the tongue protrudes through the front teeth during swallowing, speech, and while the tongue is at rest.
- Tongue forward posture: the tongue is too far forward when it’s at rest, which pushes against the teeth and creates open bite over time. Mouth breathing also can cause your child to have a tongue forward posture.
Treating an open bite can be more challenging than treating other types of misaligned teeth
A variety of orthodontic devices can also help correct an opening in the bite. In some cases, a dental appliance can keep the tongue from pushing its way between the teeth, which can be helpful. Surgical correction sometimes is an option to deal with an adult who has a severe open bite. This surgical procedure involves an oral surgeon placing the upper jaw in a new position, then securing it in place with plates and screws.