Table of contents
- Underbite: A Brief Overview
- Does My Underbite Require Treatment?
- Treatment Options for Underbite
- Clear Aligner Treatment for Underbite
- Benefits of Using ALIGNERCO’s Clear Braces to Treat Underbite
- Treat Your Underbite Using ALIGNERCO’s Clear Braces
An underbite is more than a cosmetic concern. When the lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw, the resulting condition can lead to speech and chewing difficulties.
Some extreme cases may require corrective surgery. Many patients can enjoy relief from an underbite without the need for invasive procedures.
One convenient and cost-effective treatment option uses clear braces to gradually reposition the teeth, which can correct jaw alignment issues. If you have noticed the symptoms of an underbite, this article will explain your treatment options in depth.
Underbite: A Brief Overview
Many people are familiar with the dental alignment problem known as an overbite. Overbite results from the upper row of anterior teeth significantly overlapping the lower row. An underbite results from the opposite problem.
An underbite results from the lower jaw protruding beyond the upper jaw. This dental problem can leave the lower jaw appearing to extend outward in an unattractive position. In many cases, this negatively affects facial symmetry.
An underbite is generally caused by jaw or tooth alignment problems. In some cases, those problems can result from a traumatic injury.
More commonly, underbite results from genetic factors. If one or more of your relatives have a jaw alignment problem, you are more likely to develop an underbite.
Does My Underbite Require Treatment?
While a mild overbite may not require treatment, most forms of underbite do. When the lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw, the teeth are often unable to align properly. This condition, malocclusion, can lead to a host of serious dental and jaw-related problems.
Individuals with an underbite often experience:
- Difficulty speaking clearly
- Difficulty chewing efficiently
- Jaw pain resulting from an underbite
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Difficulty sleeping
- Mouth breathing
Left untreated, an underbite can lead to serious and uncomfortable jaw conditions. TMJ is one example.
The degenerative jaw condition results from poor jaw alignment. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, TMJ can result from excessive strain on the jaw joints.
Beyond medical and dental problems that can result from underbite, the dental problem can lead to self-esteem issues. These symptoms often lead patients to explore how to fix an underbite.
Treatment Options for Underbite
Having crowns placed or undergoing other restorative dental treatments can address underbite in some cases. For most patients, teeth straightening or oral surgery can treat an underbite.
Underbite Surgery
An oral surgeon may need to perform surgery if the jaw structure is causing underbite. These are typically considered extreme cases. Only an oral surgeon can recommend surgery as a treatment for underbite.
Dr. Janice Lee described the surgical procedure for a 2019 article published by the National Institutes of Health. The procedure took five hours and required the placement of twenty screws, four plates, and several large bone screws.
As with other major surgeries, general anesthesia is used. Patients can expect side effects like swelling, bruising, and discomfort following surgery.
If the idea of undergoing invasive surgery has you worried, there’s good news. The vast majority of individuals who live with an underbite can treat the condition using non-invasive clear aligners.
Pros and Cons of Underbite Surgery
For patients who have a severe underbite, jaw surgery can provide long-term relief. Patients who require oral surgery are often dealing with the effects of speech impediments and other complications related to a severe underbite. Once recovered, patients who undergo oral surgery do not have to worry about wearing retainers or other corrective devices.
Clear Aligner Treatment
One common cause of an underbite is tooth misalignment. Malocclusion can cause the jaws to be unable to align snugly when the jaws are closed. This can force the lower jaw forward.
Patients who have this dental problem can benefit from undergoing clear aligner treatment using our convenient clear braces. Traditional metal braces are expensive and can take years to fix an underbite. Our invisible braces can correct an underbite in as few as four months.
Pros and Cons of Clear Aligner Treatment
Treating an underbite using our convenient clear aligners allows our customers to forgo expensive and invasive treatment alternatives. ALIGNERCO’s clear braces can be ordered from the convenience of your home. The treatment is non-invasive, and many of our customers find the process to be comfortable.
Once the treatment is completed, a retainer will need to be worn every night, though. Failure to wear the retainer could lead to tooth shifting.
Which Treatment Is Right for Me?
If you suffer from an extreme underbite that is caused by jaw alignment problems, you may be a candidate for oral surgery.
For the majority of people who have an underbite, though, the dental problem can be addressed using affordable and effective clear aligner treatments. Once we receive your dental impressions, our experts can determine how severe your underbite is. Your custom clear braces will be fabricated to address your underbite symptoms.
Clear Aligner Treatment for Underbite
Maybe you have heard of an underbite treatment that uses clear braces. The first step when undergoing clear aligner treatment is to make an impression.
Impression Kit
Every step of ALIGNERCO’s procedure can be completed from the convenience of your home. Once you receive your impression kit, simply follow the instructions and mail the molds back to one of our offices.
Customized Treatment
One of our team members will use the impressions to customize a treatment plan that addresses your underbite. There’s no need to tell our specialists about your underbite because they are trained to recognize the presence of the jaw alignment issue.
Using Your Clear Aligners
Once your clear aligners arrive at your home, you can begin treatment for underbite immediately. Simply place the trays over your teeth. The aligners will fit snugly.
Each successive tray is slightly straighter. Clear aligners work similarly to braces and gently nudge teeth into better alignment through micromovements. As your teeth move into their ideal position, your jawbone tissue will grow to accommodate the shifting.
After several weeks of treatment, you may begin to see the results. Your lower jawbone will slowly but steadily shift toward a more ideal position as your teeth are repositioned.
As your jaw alignment improves, you can begin to enjoy the benefits of a better bite and clearer speech. Any jaw pain associated with your underbite may begin to recede.
Once your treatment is complete, your underbite will be significantly reduced or altogether eliminated.
Benefits of Using ALIGNERCO’s Clear Braces to Treat Underbite
Most adults and teenagers are eligible for multiple treatment options that can address an underbite. Only ALIGNERCO’s clear aligners can treat underbite quickly and effectively for an affordable price.
An Affordable Treatment
Orthodontic treatment using metal braces can cost several thousand dollars, and the treatment timeline often takes years. Surgery can be considerably more expensive.
Our monthly payment plans start at $81 per month. You can expect the same treatment results.
Treat Your Underbite from the Convenience of Home
Many clear aligner companies require regular visits to the dentist. Traditional orthodontic treatments using metal braces require check-ups for wire tightenings and minor repairs.
ALIGNERCO’s entire treatment process can address underbite without the need for a visit to the dentist. This saves you time and money.
Avoid Oral Surgery
Oral surgery is an invasive procedure that can require the placement of screws and plates. The procedure can take up to several hours to complete, and there is often a long recovery time associated with oral surgery.
If your jawbones are otherwise healthy, you can forgo uncomfortable and costly oral surgery by using comfortable and cost-effective invisible braces. There is no recovery time associated with undergoing clear aligner treatments.
Long-term Results
Once you have finished using your final tray, you can enjoy the benefits of your new smile indefinitely. Simply wear your retainer every night to ensure that your teeth do not shift while you are sleeping.
Cosmetic Benefits
As your teeth move into better alignment, you’ll notice your smile becoming more attractive. ALIGNERCO clear aligners reposition teeth to correct underbite, and they also fix gaps, crooked teeth, and other cosmetic issues that you may have.
Treat Your Underbite Using ALIGNERCO’s Clear Braces
Underbite is a serious dental problem that can lead to jaw pain and other complications if left untreated. While some severe cases require oral surgery, most adults can eliminate the presence of underbite by undergoing treatment using convenient and cost-effective aligners.
One convenient option is to try our Kit First Plan. Simply order our impression kit, and we will provide you with a preview of what your smile will look like once your underbite is addressed.
