Have you recently finished a DIY clear aligner treatment and noticed that your back teeth don’t touch when you bite down? Understandably, this outcome can be alarming. And disappointing. So what happened exactly?
When your back teeth don’t touch, this can be a sign of a posterior open bite: when the teeth towards the front of your mouth touch when the jaw is closed but the back teeth don’t meet. With online clear aligners gaining in popularity, the Innovative Orthodontic Centers team want to talk about this potential issue with DIY treatments and why it happens.
Why Are My Back Teeth Not Touching?
Your posterior open bite likely resulted from aligner treatment that didn’t address the shape of your dental arches and bite along with shifting your teeth. A successful clear aligner treatment plan will consider the changes that need to happen with your dental arches. In other words, how your bite needs to change in relation to how your teeth will be moving.
A DIY treatment typically doesn’t include a professional comprehensive exam to get a full picture of your orthodontic issues and oral health. Instead, many DIY clear aligners rely only on the teeth impressions and information you provide. Computer algorithms then plan your treatment with only a quick check by a technician or dental professional before you get your aligners. And once you’ve begun treatment, many DIY plans don’t include professional check-ins to ensure teeth move safely.
As well, most DIY treatments don’t actually offer the capability of fixing your bite or addressing changes to your dental arch since this typically requires comprehensive diagnostics and a full exam of your dental and facial structure.
What Clear Aligner Treatment With An Orthodontist Provides
In contrast, clear aligner treatment with a certified orthodontist like Dr. Ibrahim or Dr. Gin is comprehensive. We look at your entire dental and facial system as well as note your oral health. Board certified orthodontists Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Gin evaluate the whole picture, including the relationship between teeth alignment and your dental arches with the goal of a beautiful, functional, and stable smile.
We design your clear aligner plan with the right amount of clearance so that whether teeth need to spread out or come together, these movements don’t leave you with a posterior open bite — or create other orthodontic issues. We also have regular check-ins to make sure your teeth are shifting safely and on-track with your treatment plan. And if not, we can make slight adjustments so your final smile is picture perfect and healthy.
What Complications Can a Posterior Open Bite Cause?
Speaking of oral health, a posterior open bite can cause several complications if left untreated. When back teeth don’t touch, you can experience:
- Difficulties with biting and chewing that can lead to digestive problems, lack of enjoyment in eating, and an unhealthy, restricted diet
- Speech problems that can affect day-to-day interactions socially, at work, or at school
- TMJD (temporomandibular jaw disorder) that can cause pain and discomfort in your jaw joints and facial muscles, in the neck and shoulders, and contribute to headaches or migraines
- Aesthetic concerns that affect self-esteem and confidence
What Are My Options for Posterior Open Bite Correction?
If you think you have a posterior open bite, rest assured, it’s not too late to fix your teeth with open bite orthodontic treatment. And you’re in good hands at Innovative Orthodontic Centers. Your go-to orthodontist in Shorewood and Naperville is an Invisalign® Diamond+ Top 1% Provider, meaning we have reached the highest level of experience with Invisalign clear aligners. We’ve transformed over 4,500 smiles with this clear aligner system. You can feel confident that we’re able to fix your posterior open bite and leave you with an amazing smile.
Treatment options may include further orthodontic treatment, oral surgery or a combination of both. However, we should mention that at Innovative Orthodontic Centers, we offer a non-surgical alternative: a non-invasive, innovative camouflage Invisalign treatment for complex cases that traditionally would require surgery.
After a comprehensive exam and conversation about your previous DIY treatment experience, your Naperville, board certified orthodontists may recommend braces or Invisalign clear aligners to correct your posterior open bite. The goal is to close the gap between your back teeth, bringing your bite into an aesthetically pleasing, stable, and well-functioning smile that lasts. And since we’re technology-driven at our Naperville and Shorewood offices, you might even find that your treatment goes faster than you expected with our accelerated treatment services.
See Your Naperville Orthodontist To Correct Back Teeth That Don’t Touch
A posterior open bite is a serious orthodontic problem that requires professional treatment from an experienced orthodontist. If you’ve recently finished an online clear aligner treatment on your own and your back teeth don’t touch, visit us at Innovative Orthodontic Centers for an evaluation. We’ll help you achieve the beautiful smile you were hoping to have in the first place.
Contact us to book your appointment today.
