Overjet (Protrusion of Upper Front Teeth)
Overjet is characterized by the upper teeth extending too far forward or the lower teeth not extending far enough forward.
Overbite
The upper front teeth excessively overlap the lower front teeth in a vertical direction, sometimes causing the lower front teeth to bite the gum tissue behind the upper front teeth.
Crossbite
All upper teeth should sit outside the lower teeth. With a crossbite, one or more upper teeth may sit inside the lower teeth. This may cause tooth misalignment or improper jaw function and growth.
Openbite
Proper chewing is impacted by this type of bite, in which the upper and lower front teeth do not contact when biting. Openbites are often caused by tongue thrusting, thumb sucking, mouth breathing or severely enlarged tonsils.
Other Problems
Crowding
Crowding occurs when teeth have insufficient room to erupt into their proper place. Teeth may erupt out of alignment, overlapped by other teeth, or may be completely blocked from eruption into the mouth altogether (impaction).
Spacing
Spacing problems may be caused by missing teeth, small tooth size, or habits such as tongue thrusting. This may be a simple cosmetic issue, or may be related to other oral health problems.
Dental midlines not matched
The center lines of the upper and lower teeth should match evenly. If not, it may be a sign that the back bite does not fit appropriately on either side, or an indication of missing teeth.