What Leads to an Open Bite Tendency?

Open Bite Tendency is a condition that is all too familiar to today’s  practicing orthodontist. Depending on severity of the open bite, a variety of factors may be involved, and some instances of open bite tendency may require extensive correction.

How does an open bite tendency occur? First, certain patients have a genetic predisposition to an open bite. This may be caused by an oversized tongue that presses out against the teeth or an abnormal skeletal growth pattern of the maxilla and mandible. There isn’t a lot that orthodontists can do in the face of hereditary factors.

Other factors are highly controllable. An open bite tendency can also occur due to prolonged thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or mouth breathing. These can be corrected -- sometimes with special therapies or oral appliances. At SML, our labs can manufacture oral appliances that prevent thumb sucking and tongue thrusting and effectively treat open bite tendency. Contact us today to learn more about these helpful tools.