Getting the Bite Right

In the United States, we take for granted the experienced dental personnel available. However, for the mother of two of our patients who grow up in China, this wasn’t the norm. There was only one dentist and no orthodontist in her rural village. When her upper cuspids (canine/eye teeth) erupted above her other teeth because of lack of space, the dentist came up with a solution. He removed both her cuspids so it would “look better.”

After her daughters went through orthodontic treatment at our office, she asked if there was any solution to her own dental dilemma. By removing two vital teeth on top, her dentists unknowingly created a Class III bite for her. The top arch is designed to fit over the lower, but since her lower arch was larger than her upper, her top teeth fit inside her lower. A Class III bite makes it difficult to eat and can cause problems with the tempomandibular joint (TMJ).

She did not want any teeth removed on the lower or implants on the upper so our doctors developed a treatment plan involving braces and diligent use of elastics. She wore her elastics faithfully and was able to get an amazing correction for a very difficult case. Now mom can eat her food without effort and, as a bonus, has a smile just as engaging as her two daughters.