Malocclusions and narrow smiles

Fixing Malocclusions & Narrow Arches

Narrow smiles will show six or fewer teeth when you smile your widest.

This can make patients feel extremely self-conscious as a perfect smile is defined to be wide and symmetrical.

Malocclusions, on the other hand, concern the misalignment and incorrect relation of how the teeth line up.

Often, patients with narrow smiles tend to have alignment issues, which means similar treatments and diagnoses are prescribed.

If you are struggling with narrow smiles or bite issues, get in touch with us today.

Book an appointment.

What causes a narrow smile and malocclusions?

Usually, malocclusions are inherited conditions, which are passed down through generations.

The narrowness of your smile will be affected overall by the alignment of your teeth.

Types of maloclussions

• Crowded teeth
• Crossbites
• Overbites and overjets
• Underbites and under jets
• Open bites

Symptoms

• Incorrect tooth alignment
• Change of face shape and appearance
• Inner cheeks and tongue being bitten frequently
• Discomfort when eating, biting or chewing
• Lisps / speech impediments/problems
• Mouth breathing
• Patients with narrow smiles can leave their cheeks unsupported or be affected by thinning of the lips

Malocclusion classes

Class 1 (most common classification)

• When the upper teeth overlap the bottom
• Regular bite
• Slight overlap

Class 2 (diagnosed as retrognathia)

• Severe overbite present
• Upper teeth/jaw overlap lower jaw/teeth significantly

Class 3 (prognathism condition)

• Severe overbite
• Lower jaw protrudes
• Lower teeth overlap top teeth and jaw

Correcting alignment issues and broadening narrow smiles

1. Braces

A common and popular treatment to correct bite issues, braces are used to correct the position of the teeth by gradually moving them into their correct and ideal place.

If your bite is severe, meet with one of our specialist orthodontists, who will be able to identify your condition and prescribe the best form of treatment.

With various braces available, the most innovative solution, Invisalign has become the popular choice.

Using removable aligners, patients are now able to straighten their teeth in half the time as fixed braces and do so discreetly and privately. View Invisalign packages.

The length of time to fix misaligned teeth will vary from patient to patient as well as the severity of your bite problem. See also: Six Month Smiles.

Talk to a dentist today. Call: 020 8224 7562.

2. Tooth extraction

Sometimes, tooth extraction may be prescribed in cases where extreme and severe overcrowding is present. The removal of teeth will then provide some extra room for the teeth to spread out and fix problems like crooked teeth.

More.

3. Veneers

Super-thin veneers are being used more and more to correct bite issues as they offer patients a quick and fast way to fix smile imperfections without having to wait for the results.

Porcelain veneers are applied to the front surface of the tooth, which is minimally invasive and involves the outer layer of enamel being shaved off a little bit to allow your new veneers to bond. More.

Veneers can even be a solution to fix some overbite cases, where the margins are not beyond the scope.

However, larger overbites may need a more aggressive solution.

Book an appointment.