Definition of Buck Teeth
Malocclusion or an overbite are other terms for buck teeth. It is a tooth misalignment that varies in severity.
Buck teeth are common, and many people decide not to get them treated. The late rock legend Freddie Mercury, for example, maintained and even celebrated his extreme overbite.
For cosmetic reasons, some people can want to treat their overbite.
Others could require medical attention in order to prevent issues like harm to adjacent teeth, gum disease, or tongue damage from unintentional biting.
When it comes to treating buck teeth, treatment options vary depending on the reason, severity, and symptoms.
Buck Teeth Reasons
Buck Teeth or Overbite: Hereditary buck teeth are common. Like other physical characteristics, jaw form can be inherited from one generation to the next.
Buck teeth can also result from other childhood practices including pacifier and thumb-sucking.
Read also: The Impact of Incognito Teeth Braces on Your Smile
Teeth Bucking from Sucking the Thumb
Your parents were not lying when they told you that thumb sucking could result in buck teeth.
Non-nutritive sucking behavior, or NNSB, is the term used to describe thumb-sucking. It indicates that the sucking motion is not supplying any nutrition, unlike nursing.
This can result in the permanent teeth erupting at an irregular angle if it persists until the ages of three or four, or during the period when the permanent teeth are forming.
Buck Teeth from the Pacifier
Another example of NNSB is sucking on a pacifier. In the same way as sucking on a thumb can, it can lead to an overbite.
Pacifier use was linked to a higher incidence of malocclusions than finger- or thumb-sucking, according to research published in the Journal of the American Dental Association in 2016.
Biting one’s tongue
When the tongue thrusts forward in the mouth too much, it can cause tongue-thrust. An overbite may occasionally occur from this, even though the malocclusion known as a “open bite” is the common outcome.
- Although it can persist into maturity, children are most commonly affected by the illness.
- Numerous factors can contribute to it, including poor swallowing habits and persistently enlarged tonsils or adenoids.
- Stress might also be the reason in adults. Certain adults protrude their tongue as they slept.
Molecular biology
Some people have a small upper or lower jaw or an uneven jaw from birth. Your parents, siblings, or other relatives may also look similar to you if you have an overbite or big front teeth, which are frequently inherited.
Impacted Teeth, Additional Teeth, and Missing Teeth
Buck teeth can occur due to crowding or spacing, which also affects how your front teeth line up. The position of your front teeth can change over time as a result of missing teeth causing your remaining teeth to shift.
On the other hand, problems with alignment might also result from not having enough room for teeth. Having impacted or additional teeth might cause crowding.
Read also: Can Braces Make My Teeth Fall Out? What You Need to Know!
Tumors and Cysts in The Jaw or Mouth
Your teeth’s alignment as well as the contour of your mouth and jaw might be altered by tumors and cysts located in these areas.
This occurs when your teeth move forward due to chronic swelling or a growth (either soft tissue or bone) in the upper jaw or mouth region.
Moreover, lumps, blisters, and pain can be caused by tumors and cysts in the jaw or mouth.
Excessive health hazards
The severity of an overbite and whether it interferes with proper biting can both lead to health problems.
Among the problems an overbite might create are:
- Speaking barriers
- Breathing difficulties
- Weaknesses in chewing
- Harm to gums and additional teeth
- Ache when biting or eating
- Modifications to the facial appearance
Therapy for Buck Teeth
There is no medical necessity for therapy unless your overbite is significant and giving you discomfort. You should consult a dentist or orthodontist for treatment if you’re not content with the way your teeth look.
Because teeth vary in size, bite patterns, and jaw relationships across individuals, there is no one-size-fits-all method for treating buck teeth. The ideal course of action is decided upon by an orthodontist or dentist based on your needs.
Bracelets
The most typical therapy for buck teeth is traditional wire braces and retainers.
Although braces are often worn by children and teenagers, adults can also benefit from them.
Expanding the palate
In order to treat children or teenagers whose upper jaw is too narrow to accept adult teeth, palate enlargement is typically used.
The upper molars are attached to a unique two-piece device called a palatal expander. The palate is widened by gently moving the two components apart using an expansion screw.
Using Invisalign
Minor malocclusions in adults and teenagers can be treated with Invisalign. To gradually shift the positions of your teeth, a series of clear plastic aligners is created using a model of your teeth and placed over them.
Compared to traditional braces, Invisalign is more expensive, but it also means fewer dental visits.
Jaw Surgery
Severe problems are treated with orthodontic surgery. In order to adjust the relationship between the upper and lower jaws, it is also utilized for individuals who have ceased developing.
Steer Clear of Home Remedies
Overbite cannot be corrected at home. Buck teeth are safe to treat only by an orthodontist or dentist.
To help achieve the ideal appearance and prevent major damage to the roots and jawbones, precise pressure must be given gradually to realign your teeth.
Surgery could be the best—or the only—option for serious problems.
Having buck teeth and living with it
Here are some tips to assist maintain the health of your teeth and prevent problems that may arise from misalignment if you decide to live with your overbite:
Conclusion
Just like people, teeth are different in sizes and shapes. Only if your buck teeth are significant and causing you discomfort, or if you would prefer to have them repaired because you are unhappy with the way you look, are they worth treating?
The ideal choice for you will depend on your needs, and an orthodontist or dentist can help.
