What is a bad bite?

A bad bite refers to the misalignment of teeth. When teeth do not come together correctly, they are termed bad bite, or "malocclusion."

What causes a bad bite?

It is often caused by genetics, environmental factors, oral habits or multifactorials. For example, you may have an overjet, commonly known in lay term as "over bite," where your front teeth stick out. With this bite, your lower lip, caught behind the upper teeth, wedges both top and bottom teeth and makes the upper teeth stick out further. If you have a tongue habit, your tongue can push your front teeth out further. The misalignment of your teeth and jaw can make the bite worse over time.

3 types of bad bite:

In orthodontics, there are 3 main types of bad bite. There are also subdivision bites but for simplicity, lets discuss the 3 main ones. They are categorized based on how the top and bottom jaws relate to each other.

• Class I bite is referred to both upper and lower jaws being proportionate in length. There is no issue with the jaw; instead, the bite problem is associated with the teeth. The teeth are either not straight or they can be crowded, spaced, rotated, overlapped, twisted or tipped.
• Class II bite refers to a long upper jaw or a short lower jaw. The jaw position affects the appearance of the front incisors. With a Class II bite, the upper front teeth fit far outside the lower front teeth. 
• Class III bite refers to a long lower jaw or a short upper jaw. Often the upper jaw grows too short and the lower jaw grows too long. With a Class III bite, the lower front teeth fit far outside the upper front teeth.

Who should correct a bad bite?

A bad bite should be corrected by an orthodontist. Orthodontists are dental specialists who have undergone an additional 2-3 years of specialized study in the field of malocclusions to correct and treat bite and jaw problems. They are trained to diagnose all problems associated with the teeth, the jaw, the airway, the facial musculature, and temporal mandibular joints. Some bite problems may need both orthodontics and surgical interventions. Although your general dentist may offer orthodontic treatment, he or she does not have the added training and may not be able to correct complex orthodontic cases.

Dr. Nancy Phan is an orthodontist and has been practicing orthodontics exclusively for over 10 years. When you schedule an orthodontic consultation, she will go over your bite problem and suggest treatment options. Orthodontic records can be taken at that time to further collect data, diagnose problems, analyze details and establish a treatment plan. Once a treatment plan is completed, treatment will then be rendered.

When you have a bad bite, you need more than tooth alignment. You need correction of teeth, bite, jaw and facial alignment to achieve that harmonious and beautiful smile! You can check our website www.CareOrthodontics.com for other beneficial information.

Happy Father’s Day from Care Orthodontics!

A good father makes all the difference in a child's life. He's the pillar of strength. He's the love and continuous support. He's the source of courage, discipline and inspiration.

At Care Orthodontics, we appreciate all the great fathers who invest in their children's braces and Invisalign. Their investment is well spent so that their children can have a lifetime of a beautiful smile, face, and self confidence. We salute you in your honor and dedication.

We hope that you will spend quality time with your family and loved ones this Father's day weekend. Happy Father's day! From all of us at Care Orthodontics.

You can find us at www.CareOrthodontics.com or www.facebook.com/CareOrthodontics

Here are our favorite quotes about fathers: 

1. "Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a daddy."- Anonymous 
2. "What Is A Dad? A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again. A dad is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes but instead lets you find your own way, even though his heart breaks in silence when you get hurt. A dad is someone who holds you when you cry, scolds you when you break the rules, shines with pride when you succeed, and has faith in you even when you fail..." - Unknown 
3. "My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."- Jim Valvano 
4. "It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father." - Pope John XXIII 
5. "Someday i will find my prince but my Daddy will always be my King." - Unknown 
6. "When my father didn't have my hand....he had my back." - Linda Poindexter 
7. "The quality of a father can be seen in the goals, dreams and aspirations he sets not only for himself, but for his family." - Reed Markham
8. "The gift of a Father cannot been seen by our eyes, yet he sacrificed his every breath,sweat and everything to comfort us, his family'' - King Tony Singh 
9. "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." - Anne Sexton
10. "A father does not tell you that he loves you. He shows you." - Demitri The Stoneheart
11. "A child looks up at the stars and wonders. Great fathers put a child on his shoulders and help them to grab a star." - Reed Markham
12. "Your father gives you many things in a lifetime.....most of which you will not appreciate until way after he is gone." - Linda Poindxter

Her are our favorite Dad’s sayings:

- "Go ask your mother."
- "Just wait until I get you home."
- "When I was your age…"
- "Do you think money grows on trees?"
- "Do it to make your mother happy."

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms out there!!! We hope you are able to take time this Mother's Day weekend to enjoy the company of your family. We bow our heads and send our sincere appreciation especially to those dedicated Mothers who drive their children to our office on a routine basis for braces and Invisalign adjustments.

Here are some of our favorite quotes about Mothers:

1. "The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never.  A mother is something absolutely new."  Rajneesh
2. "God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers."  Jewish Proverb
3. “Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers, and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world.” Kate Douglas Wiggin
4. “There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one”  Jill Churchill
5. "Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved." Erich Fromm
6. “A mother understands what a child does not say.” -Jewish proverb
7. “A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” Washington Irving
8. “When you were small and just a touch away, I covered you with blankets against the cold night air. But now that you are tall and out of reach, I fold my hands and cover you with prayer." Dona Maddux Cooper
9. "The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness."  Honore de Balzac
10. "A mighty power and stronger Man from his throne has hurled, For the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world." William Ross Wallace