There are many types of orthodontic problems that we are presented with in our daily practice. This page was designed to illustrate some of the most common orthodontic problems and their successful treatment.
Crowding of the teeth
Before
After
Patient started treatment at age 11 and wore braces for 26 months. He loves his new smile.
Spacing of teeth
Before
After
Patient was bothered by the spaces between his teeth. Braces closed the spaces and gave him an ideal bite in 24 months.
Overjet: Protruding front teeth
Before
After
At age 10, patient had a big overjet with the top teeth protruding beyond the bottom. She had two phases of treatment. The first helped her jaws to grow more harmoniously and the second aligned her teeth and bite. At age 13, she was proudly displaying her new smile.
Underbite: Lower front teeth in front of upper teeth
Before
After
Patient's underbite was causing her jaw joint discomfort and excessive wear patterns on her teeth. After about 30 months of treatment starting at age 32, she now finds smiling and chewing much easier.
Deep overbite: Lower front teeth bite into palate
Before
After
This adult patient, age 25, required braces and jaw surgery to correct his severe overbite, with treatment taking two years. His problem could have been corrected without surgery if he had been treated before he was a teenager.
Open bite: Front teeth don't touch
Before
After
Patient sucked her thumb as a young child. She started treatment at age 13. She had braces and a special appliance — called a crib — to retrain the tongue, for 28 months. Now she can bite the lettuce out of a sandwich.
Missing lateral incisors
Before
After
This patient's lateral incisors were congenitally missing. She had braces for 20 months to move the teeth into their correct positions, then the missing teeth were replaced with bonded "Maryland" bridges.