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Mal -
occlusion literally means "bad bite." A bad bite can be caused
by several factors:
- Heredity - Both parents
may have "perfect" teeth, but if a child inherits a small jaw
from one parent and large teeth from the other, the result most likely will
be crowding of the teeth requiring Orthodontics.
- Missing Teeth - If
missing permanent teeth are not replaced with implants,
a bridge, or a partial
denture, the adjacent teeth can "tip" into the empty space
and the opposing teeth can "super-erupt." Primary (baby) teeth
that are prematurely lost due to decay or injury sometimes necessitate the
use of a spacer to keep the surrounding teeth growing straight until the
permanent tooth erupts to replace the missing tooth.
- Grinding
teeth (bruxism) - Severe cases of bruxism can change the occlusion.
Left untreated,
a malocclusion not only affects the patient's appearance, it can also lead
to TMJ problems and an increased risk of decay and gum disease.
Dr. Stoffregen evaluates each individual case to determine the best course of action to prevent
or cure the malocclusion. Visit our Orthodontics page to learn more about
how early detection of malocclusions in children and the use of arch expanders
can reduce and sometimes eliminate the need for braces!
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