A patient’s jaw alignment can affect their overall health and appearance. Correction of the the jaw position most often results in more beautiful and symmetrical face as well as comfort and health.
Patients often seek help for non-surgical overbite and non-surgical underbite correction in children and adults for several reasons:
- Pain: TMJ pain, neckaches, headaches
- Unhappy with their appearance: sunken faces, short chin, underbites, and worn teeth
- Facial asymmetry
- Snoring and sleep apnea issues secondary to their bite
Note the lower 1/3 face improvement
Note improvement in Facai. Symmetry
and Lower 1/3 face
Your bite does affect the shape of your face. When the patient’s jaw position is idealized with TMJ balance and proper facial muscle support, the health benefits improve the quality of their lives and their facial appearance. Jaw position is important and relates to facial symmetry, reduced facial pain, headaches, and even one’s airway.
Another important aspect that needs to addressed and is often overlooked is myofunctional therapy which helps those with tongue thrusts, low tongue posture, lisps, and mouthbreathing.
Correcting misaligned bites can be achieved non-surgically. Traditional restiratuve treatment or traditional orthodontics does not evaluate or treat the airway, facial symmetry, facial muscles, or jaw joints. These are essential to developing optimal full facial features and better long-term health.
Non-surgical jaw alignment correction can be done in several ways, the important issue is to address the whole picture not just the teeth. In some cases porcelain veneers and onlays can be used conservatively to restore the bite to the corrected jaw position.
In other situations, AGGA (Anterior Guided Growth Appliances) can be used to develop the jaws to an improved full facial appearance. This can also work well with correcting overbites and underbites.
These are excellent ways to correct issues discussed above and create long term stability.
If you have any questions regarding Houston TMJ treatment, AGGA, or Non-surgical overbite/underbite treatment, please feel free to contact us at 713-668-2289, Ronald W. Konig DDS, FAGD, LVIF, FIAPA
