What are the seven warning sign to look for at age seven?
During your initial FREE ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION
our orthodontic specialist will look for the answer to the following questions:
1. Do the upper teeth protrude? Excessive protrusion (or overbite) of the upper
front teeth – “bucked teeth” – is by far the most common orthodontic problem. You
can test this by placing a Popsicle stick behind the upper front teeth when you bite
down on your back teeth. If there is plenty of room for the stick, you probably have
more than two millimeters of space between the upper front teeth and the lower
front teeth. In many patients the lower jaw is retruded giving the “weak chin”
appearance. When “patient records” are done, the x-ray picture taken of the side
view of the head shows if the upper jawbone is protruding in front of the lower
jawbone.
2. Is there a deep bite or over-jet? The upper teeth cover the lower front teeth too
much - more than one millimeter of the lower teeth. In severe cases, the lower front
teeth are totally covered by the upper front teeth when you bite down on your back
teeth.
3. Is there an underbite? The upper teeth fit inside the arch of the lower teeth.
Usually the lower jaw protrudes or sticks out farther than the upper jaw giving one
the “strong chin”.
4. Is there an open bite? You can stick your tongue between the upper and lower
front teeth when the back teeth are together.
5. Is there too little room for the upper or lower teeth? Do you see crowded or
overlapped teeth?
6. Is there too much room (spacing or gaps) between the upper or lower teeth?
7. Is there a crossbite? The upper back teeth fit inside rather than outside of the
lowers.
