Underbite Complications
Underbite complications may affect both your physical and mental wellbeing. Even if you don't have underbite symptoms, you should consider how to fix an underbite to prevent issues.
Common underbite symptoms and complications
- Misaligned teeth caused by protruding bite pressure.
- Tooth decay and breakage where the misaligned bite erodes the enamel.
- Chronic mouth breathing and bad breath (halitosis).
- Chewing and swallowing difficulties. Underbite speech problems such as lisping and slurring.
- Change to the appearance of face structure, presenting as a jutting-out chin, resulting in possible low self-esteem and a lack of confidence.
Different types of underbites
- Slight or mild underbite – the two rows of teeth almost meet edge-to-edge.
- Severe or extreme underbite – the front teeth don't meet at all because the gap is so wide.
- Dental underbite – which relates to placement of teeth in dental arches.
- Skeletal underbite – misalignment of the underlying jaw structure.
See what's causing your underbite for more information.