Do your teeth fit together for a perfect bite?
Having properly aligned teeth that fit together for an ideal bite isn’t just about enhancing your smile, it’s also about improving your oral health, and reducing your risk of common dental problems such as tooth wear, tooth decay and gum disease.
Your bite plays a big part in this. In fact, one of the most important aspects of orthodontic treatment involves correcting someone’s bite. But what is considered the perfect ‘bite’ in orthodontics?
How are the teeth supposed to line up?
Your bite is not about the way you chew your food. When dentists and orthodontists talk about your bite, they mean how your top and bottom teeth fit together inside your mouth for the dental “occlusion”.
Unfortunately, not many people are born with a perfect bite. Although an imperfect bite is not usually a huge issue, for some people a bad bite or “malocclusion” can lead to excessive and uneven tooth wear, jaw joint pain, muscle problems and headaches.
So, what does an ideal bite look like?
Human teeth are designed to fit together almost perfectly in a very specific pattern. When an orthodontist evaluates your bite, they will look at it from three different angles; the front, the side, and the full arch view.
The Front
The front view of your teeth is what you will see in the mirror. In an ideal bite, the edges of your top teeth should follow the curve of your bottom lip. When your teeth are clenched together, about 90% of your bottom teeth should be visible.
A ‘deep bite’ occurs when your upper teeth cover too much of your bottom teeth, which can lead to tooth wear and damage. While an ‘open bite’ occurs when your front teeth don’t overlap at all and there is only contact on the back teeth.
The Side
When viewing your bite from the right or left side, your teeth should meet together like cogs in a wheel. The pointed ends of the upper teeth should fit perfectly between two teeth on the bottom, while the upper teeth should sit slightly in front of your lower teeth.
If the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth, this is commonly called a ‘reverse’ or “under” bite, and if the lower teeth sit too far behind the top teeth, this is commonly called an “overbite”.
Arch View
An arch view is what you see when you open your mouth wide open and look at the top of your lower teeth or the bottom of your upper teeth. From this angle, each tooth should be touching the one next to it, with no spacing in between.
Are front teeth supposed to be longer?
In an ideal bite, a person’s two front teeth will generally be longer than their bottom teeth. The aesthetics of proportion plays a part as well; research shows that front teeth that are 1.29 times longer than they are wide are considered more aesthetically pleasing.
Your Clear Choice Orthodontist will examine your bite as well as the cosmetic appearance of your teeth and then provide the best advice around getting your ideal bite.
Your smile is unique...
…so your treatment will be as well.
Your local Orthodontist is specially trained to evaluate your bite, and they will be able to explain your options and discuss with you what suits you best and what you want.
So click the link below to find your nearest Clear Choice Orthodontist and get ready for your new smile.
all Orthodontists are qualified dentists
they then study for an additional 3 years
including 5,000 hours of practical training
specialists in correcting misaligned teeth and jaws