Dental Conditions
Bite correction
When upper and lower teeth do not meet properly, the effects reach beyond appearance — into chewing, speech, and the long-term health of your jaw joints.
Three types of malocclusion
Overbite
The upper front teeth protrude excessively over the lower. Beyond appearance, this increases the risk of trauma to the front teeth and contributes to TMJ problems.
Underbite
The lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth, indicating the lower jaw is positioned forward. Mild cases respond well to orthodontics; severe cases are skeletal and may need surgery combined with orthodontic treatment.
Crossbite
Upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth at the back rather than outside them. This creates uneven chewing forces, accelerated wear on the affected teeth, and potential TMJ dysfunction.
Why correction is worth doing
A bad bite loads teeth in directions they were not designed to take. Over decades that produces uneven wear, cracked teeth, recession at specific sites, and jaw joint strain.
It also affects function directly. Patients with significant malocclusion often chew on one side, avoid certain foods, or have speech affected — adaptations they may not consciously notice until the bite is corrected.
What treatment involves
Most bite problems are treated orthodontically, with braces or aligners moving teeth into a functional relationship. Dr. Julien Kim handles these cases, including complex adult treatment.
Where the underlying problem is skeletal — the jaws themselves are mismatched rather than the teeth — orthodontics alone can camouflage but not correct it. Those cases are planned jointly with our oral and maxillofacial surgeon, which is considerably simpler when both clinicians work in the same building.
Concerned about your symptoms?
Book a bite assessment with our specialist orthodontist. Call (905) 479-7777.