Bite is the interaction of the upper and lower teeth in relation to each other, with the jaws closing completely. In a normal bite, the upper and lower teeth fit together tightly and without gaps. In this case, the lower teeth overlap the upper teeth by about a third. If the jaws are not properly aligned during the occlusion, it is a bite disorder.

The correct bite is called an orthognathic bite, and statistically it is found in only 10% of people. With a pathological bite, you have a lack of contact between the dental units, incomplete occlusion (closing of the jaws), and dysfunction of the dentoalveolar system. Modern orthodontics offers many effective methods of correcting malocclusion, regardless of age.

Why a bite needs to be corrected

An abnormal bite is not only a cosmetic defect, but also a risk factor for overall health.

Incorrect occlusion (clamping of the teeth) affects diction, interferes with correct chewing and causes fast wear of enamel, tooth decay and damage to the gums and soft tissues of the mouth.
Pathologies of occlusion disturb the function of the mandibular joint, and cause changes in the proportions of the facial skeleton.
Incorrect teeth clamping disturbs chewing function, and causes various diseases of the gastrointestinal organs. And abnormalities in the development of the jaw have a direct impact on the respiratory system and ENT organs.
People with a defective bite feel discomfort when communicating, which leads to the formation of various psychological complexes.

It is possible to correct a wrong bite at any age. A wide range of orthodontic appliances are used for this – removable and fixed.

Methods of bite correction in adults

Bite alignment in adults is performed in two main ways – with a bracket system or eliners. Each method has its advantages, treatment time depends on the complexity of the pathology, the method of correction and is on average 1.5-2 years. With complex combined anomalies treatment may take up to 3 years or more.

Treatment with braces

Braces are fixed orthodontic appliances that are attached to the outside or inside of the teeth (vestibular and lingual). The design includes different elements combined into one system:

Groove locks;
Arc of tension;
Ligatures (elastics, springs, chains, etc.).

Ligatures are attached to the enamel of each tooth with a special adhesive, and then connected with a metal arc, with shape memory. The arc tries to return to its original position, pulling the teeth with it, shifting to a predetermined position. It is the tensioning arch that is the source of pressure that is needed for the gradual displacement of dental units.

The orthodontic arch in the classic models is connected to the locks with special elements – a ligature. This ligature must be changed periodically (once every 3-4 weeks). Today manufacturers have simplified the correction process by offering a wide range of self-ligating models where the role of ligatures is played by other fixation elements (latch caps).

To correct a bad bite, you need constant pressure on your teeth with orthodontic appliances. Braces allow you not only to correct the inclination of the tooth, but also to rotate it around its axis. Fixing the bracket system is perfectly safe, painless, takes 30-90 minutes (depending on the method) and is done in one visit to the orthodontist.

Bite Correction with Eliners

Eliners are thin transparent mouth guards that are designed to move the teeth in a series of microdentures in order to correct bites and anomalies in the teeth. Before treatment begins, the patient undergoes a comprehensive diagnostic procedure to make a precise treatment plan. The doctor then takes impressions of the teeth and sends them to a laboratory. Next comes the actual process of making the mouth guards.

Elastic, transparent eliners fit snugly over the teeth, making orthodontic treatment as comfortable as possible for the patient and invisible to others. In terms of invisibility and aesthetics, even sapphire braces are difficult to compare to mouth guards, and given the ease of wearing the eliner system, this method of alignment in adults is beyond competition.

The main advantages of eliners are:

High aesthetics – a transparent mouthguard is invisible on the teeth, so its wearing is not accompanied by psychological discomfort;
Ease of care – an additional advantage of using an eliner is the possibility of removing it independently and performing all necessary hygienic procedures;
Hypoallergenic – constructions are made of a new generation of flexible dental plastic with high biocompatibility and do not cause allergic reactions;
Efficiency – successfully and quickly enough to correct small anomalies in dentition;
Absence of diction disorders;
Wearing comfort – there are no hard elements that can traumatize the soft tissues of the oral cavity.

To get the desired results, the system should be worn for 20-22 hours daily, taking it off only to eat and brush your teeth. The eliner is replaced every 2-3 weeks, with each new system gradually improving the position of the teeth. The duration of orthodontic treatment depends on the clinical picture and can range from 6 months to 2 years or more. That is, the therapy time depends directly on the complexity of the patient’s situation.

In the most difficult cases, if it is not possible to completely correct the bite without using braces, it is possible to combine treatment with orthodontic braces.

Can a bite always be corrected?

You categorically cannot use orthodontic treatment unless you are missing most of your teeth. In all other cases, even with a complex combined anomaly, orthodontics offers an effective method of correcting the bite in adults, with an eye to normalizing the function of the dentition. In especially complex situations, maxillofacial