How do braces fix an underbite?
A true “underbite” is a skeletal discrepency. The upper jaw is under developed also called midface deficiency or the lower jaw is out growing the upper jaw. Either way, this skeletal mis-alignment requires jaw surgery. The patient needs to be close to the end of growth or completely finished growing then braces are placed for 12 to 18 months to properly align the teeth in each arch. the patient has surgery while braces are on then the orthodontist completes the details of alignment for an additional 4 to 6 months. Having said all of that, some “underbites” are not a skeletal discrepency but instead are a “functional shift.” When a child hits his front teeth end to end he/she often times shifts forward to find a comfortable place to chew and close. This can be corrected with early orthodontics correcting the way tthe front teeth fit together. SEE AN ORTHODONTIST!!! You may be seeing your orthodontist for many years. Worth correcting! Underbites or crossbites can adversely affect facial
