If you have an overbite, you might wonder what types of braces will work best for you. The following information can help you make up your mind and plan an ortho treatment that will lead to a better smile. What Is an Overbite? An overbite is a type of malocclusion where the upper front teeth project outwards and cover the lower front teeth. An overbite may be caused by genetics, from thumb sucking during infancy, or from biting the nails or chewing on pens later in life. Teeth grinding can lead to an overbite, as can tooth loss or TMJ. Therefore, how you correct the bite will be dependent on the reason for the malocclusion. Our orthodontic team categorizes overbites in one of two ways. A skeletal overbite results when the lower jaw is much smaller than the upper jaw. Therefore, this dental abnormality pushes the teeth in the upper jaw forward. On the other hand, a dental overbite represents a poor alignment of teeth, which causes the lower jaw to shift backward over time. What Braces Correct an Overbite? If you are an adult with an overbite, you probably would prefer to have the bite corrected with clear overbite braces. Instead of being made of traditional metal, the brackets on the braces are made with a tooth-colored ceramic, thereby making the treatment less noticeable. We often suggest metal overbite braces for children, as they are easier to adjust and are less fragile. Lingual braces may also be used for overbites or self-litigating braces. Self-ligating braces use sliders for making adjustments, doing away with tightening using elastic bands. To completely hide the fact you are wearing braces, you can also have lingual braces attached to the back teeth. However, because of the nature of an overbite, the braces’ brackets may not hold as well because of the additional pressure placed on the teeth. To learn more about correcting an overbite, give our team of orthodontic professionals a call today. We want to make it easy for you to smile. Call us now for an orthodontic exam and consultation.