A straight smile is only one part of orthodontic health. The way your upper and lower teeth come together, known as your bite, also plays an important role in how your mouth functions. When the teeth or jaws do not align properly, orthodontic treatment may help improve the relationship between them.
If you have an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or another type of misaligned bite, you may wonder whether braces can improve your jaw alignment. In many cases, braces can correct tooth positions and improve the way the upper and lower teeth fit together. However, treatment depends on whether the problem comes primarily from the teeth, the jaws, or a combination of both.
Understanding how orthodontic treatment for jaw alignment works can help you know which options may be available for improving your bite.
What Is Jaw Alignment?
Jaw alignment refers to the relationship between the upper and lower jaws and how the teeth fit together when you close your mouth.
Ideally, the upper and lower teeth should meet in a functional and balanced relationship. When this does not happen, a patient may have a type of malocclusion, commonly referred to as a bad bite.
Jaw and bite alignment can be influenced by tooth position, jaw development, genetics, and other factors.
An orthodontist evaluates both the teeth and jaws to determine what is contributing to the alignment problem.
What Are the Most Common Bite Problems?
Several types of bite problems may benefit from orthodontic evaluation.
Overbite
An overbite occurs when the upper front teeth vertically overlap the lower front teeth more than expected.
A certain amount of overlap is normal, but a deep overbite may require orthodontic treatment when it affects dental function, tooth wear, or overall alignment.
Underbite
An underbite occurs when the lower front teeth sit ahead of the upper front teeth.
Underbites may result from tooth position, jaw development, or a combination of both.
The severity and underlying cause help determine whether braces or another orthodontic treatment may be appropriate.
Crossbite
A crossbite occurs when one or more upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth when biting down.
Crossbites can affect the front or back teeth and may involve individual tooth position or differences in jaw development.
Open Bite
An open bite occurs when some upper and lower teeth do not meet when the mouth is closed.
This can create a visible opening between the teeth and may affect biting or chewing.
Crowding and Misalignment
Crowded or significantly misaligned teeth can also affect the bite.
Even when the jaws themselves are positioned normally, crooked or rotated teeth may prevent the upper and lower teeth from meeting properly.
Can Braces Improve Jaw Alignment?
Braces can improve many bite and alignment problems by changing the position of the teeth.
Brackets and orthodontic wires apply controlled forces that gradually guide teeth toward their planned positions.
When treatment is designed for bite correction, the goal is not simply to create straight-looking teeth. The orthodontist also considers how the upper and lower dental arches should fit together.
However, braces move teeth rather than physically repositioning fully developed jaw bones on their own.
This distinction is important when determining whether a patient’s alignment problem is primarily dental or skeletal.
Can Braces Fix a Misaligned Bite?
Braces can correct many types of misaligned bites.
For example, orthodontic treatment may reposition teeth to improve certain overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites.
The amount of correction possible depends on the cause and severity of the problem.
A patient whose bite issue primarily involves tooth position may respond differently than someone with a significant difference in upper and lower jaw size.
An orthodontic evaluation can determine how much improvement can realistically be achieved through tooth movement.
What Is the Difference Between Dental and Skeletal Jaw Misalignment?
Understanding the difference between dental and skeletal problems is important when discussing jaw alignment treatment.
Dental misalignment primarily involves the position of the teeth.
For example, the jaws may have a relatively balanced relationship, but the upper or lower teeth may be positioned too far forward or backward.
Skeletal misalignment involves the size, position, or development of the jaw bones themselves.
Some patients have both dental and skeletal components.
Braces can directly change tooth position. Significant skeletal discrepancies may require additional approaches depending on the patient’s age and severity of the condition.
How Do Braces Correct Your Bite?
Braces gradually move teeth using brackets, wires, and other orthodontic components.
During bite correction, the orthodontist may need to move individual teeth in several directions to create a better relationship between the upper and lower dental arches.
Treatment may involve:
- Straightening crowded teeth
- Closing spaces
- Correcting tooth rotations
- Moving upper or lower teeth forward or backward
- Adjusting vertical tooth position
- Coordinating the upper and lower dental arches
The specific movements depend on the type of bite problem being treated.
What Are Orthodontic Elastics?
Orthodontic elastics, often called rubber bands, may be used alongside braces for certain bite corrections.
The elastics connect specific points between the upper and lower braces and provide additional forces that help guide the teeth toward a better bite relationship.
Different elastic configurations can be used depending on the correction required.
If elastics are included in your treatment, wearing them according to your orthodontist’s instructions is important.
Inconsistent elastic wear can affect treatment progress and may increase the amount of time needed to achieve the planned bite correction.
Can Clear Aligners Improve Your Bite?
Clear aligners can also treat certain bite problems.
The removable trays gradually move teeth according to a digitally planned sequence.
Depending on the patient’s condition, clear aligners may be used for crowded teeth, spacing, overbite, crossbite, and other orthodontic concerns.
Some patients may also use elastics with clear aligners when additional bite correction is necessary.
However, clear aligners are not appropriate for every jaw or bite problem.
An orthodontist can determine whether aligners can produce the necessary movements for your particular case.
Can Orthodontic Treatment Change Your Jawline?
Patients sometimes expect braces to dramatically change the shape of their jaw.
Orthodontic treatment primarily changes tooth position and bite alignment. These changes can sometimes influence the appearance of the smile or facial profile, but the results vary considerably.
Braces should not be viewed as a cosmetic procedure specifically designed to create a particular jawline.
When facial appearance changes during orthodontic treatment, those changes depend on the original tooth positions, bite, jaw relationship, growth, and treatment plan.
Can Braces Move the Jaw in Adults?
Once jaw growth is complete, braces primarily move teeth rather than repositioning the underlying jaw bones.
This means adults with dental bite problems may achieve significant correction through orthodontic tooth movement.
Adults with severe skeletal jaw discrepancies may require additional treatment if tooth movement alone cannot create an appropriate bite.
In selected cases, orthodontic treatment may be combined with corrective jaw surgery.
Not every adult with a misaligned bite needs surgery. A comprehensive evaluation is necessary to distinguish dental problems from significant skeletal discrepancies.
Can Orthodontic Treatment Guide Jaw Growth in Children?
Children and teenagers are different because their jaws are still developing.
When certain bite or jaw alignment problems are identified during growth, an orthodontist may recommend treatment designed to guide dental or jaw development.
This is one reason early orthodontic evaluation can be valuable.
Depending on the problem and stage of growth, treatment may include orthodontic appliances, braces, or a combination of approaches.
Early evaluation does not necessarily mean immediate treatment. Some children are monitored until the timing is appropriate for intervention.
When Is Jaw Surgery Needed?
Corrective jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, may be considered for certain severe skeletal jaw discrepancies.
This approach is generally reserved for situations where orthodontic tooth movement alone cannot adequately address the underlying relationship between the jaws.
When surgery is appropriate, orthodontic treatment and surgical care are carefully coordinated.
Braces may be used before and after surgery to position the teeth so the upper and lower jaws can fit together properly.
Most orthodontic patients do not require jaw surgery.
What Happens If a Misaligned Bite Is Not Treated?
Not every minor bite variation requires orthodontic treatment.
However, significant malocclusion may contribute to dental concerns depending on the individual case.
Potential issues can include:
- Uneven tooth wear
- Difficulty biting certain foods
- Teeth contacting in unusual positions
- Increased difficulty cleaning crowded areas
- Damage to certain teeth
- Gum irritation in some deep bite cases
Some patients also seek treatment because they are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth or bite.
An orthodontist can determine whether treatment is recommended based on function, dental health, and individual goals.
Can Bite Problems Affect Chewing?
A significant misaligned bite can affect how efficiently the upper and lower teeth meet during chewing.
Certain foods may be more difficult to bite or break down when teeth do not contact properly.
Correcting tooth alignment may improve the relationship between the dental arches and create more balanced contact.
However, chewing difficulties can have many possible causes. An orthodontic evaluation can help determine whether bite alignment is contributing to the problem.
How Long Does Bite Correction With Braces Take?
There is no standard timeline for orthodontic bite correction.
Treatment time depends on factors such as:
- Type of bite problem
- Severity of misalignment
- Number of teeth requiring movement
- Patient age
- Presence of skeletal jaw differences
- Type of orthodontic treatment
- Need for elastics or additional appliances
- Patient cooperation
Simple dental alignment may require less treatment than complex bite correction.
After evaluating your teeth and jaws, your orthodontist can provide a personalized treatment estimate.
How Do Orthodontists Evaluate Jaw and Bite Alignment?
An orthodontic evaluation involves more than checking whether the front teeth look straight.
The orthodontist examines how the upper and lower teeth meet and evaluates the relationship between the dental arches and jaws.
The assessment may include:
- Examination of tooth alignment
- Bite evaluation
- Digital scans
- Dental imaging
- Photographs
- Evaluation of jaw development
- Facial and dental proportions
This information helps determine whether the alignment problem is dental, skeletal, or a combination of both.
What Results Can You Expect From Bite Correction?
The goal of orthodontic treatment for bite correction is to create a more functional and balanced relationship between the upper and lower teeth.
Depending on the original problem, treatment may improve tooth alignment, dental arch coordination, bite function, and smile appearance.
Results vary because every patient’s anatomy and orthodontic needs are different.
After braces or clear aligners are completed, retainers are typically used to help maintain the new tooth positions.
Following your retention plan is an important part of protecting your orthodontic results.
How Do You Know If You Need Treatment for Jaw Alignment?
You may benefit from an orthodontic evaluation if you notice that your upper and lower teeth do not seem to fit together correctly.
Possible signs include:
- Significant overbite or underbite
- Crossbite
- Open bite
- Difficulty biting comfortably
- Uneven tooth wear
- Crowded or significantly misaligned teeth
- Jaw shifting when biting
- Concerns about your bite or tooth alignment
These symptoms do not automatically mean you need braces or jaw treatment.
A professional evaluation is necessary to identify the cause and determine whether orthodontic treatment may help.
Orthodontic Treatment for Jaw Alignment in El Paso, TX
If you are concerned about your bite or jaw alignment, an orthodontic evaluation can help determine whether the problem originates primarily from your teeth, jaws, or both.
At Hansen Orthodontics & Aesthetics in El Paso, TX, patients can receive a personalized assessment of their tooth alignment, bite, and jaw relationship.
Depending on your needs, treatment may include braces, clear aligners, orthodontic appliances, elastics, or other approaches designed to improve the relationship between the upper and lower teeth.
Schedule a consultation with Hansen Orthodontics & Aesthetics in El Paso, TX to explore orthodontic treatment for jaw alignment and learn whether braces can help improve your bite.