What are Misaligned Jaws and how can you Treat it?

Most people are aware of teeth misalignment and its treatment but very few people know about jaw misalignment. When your upper and lower jaw is not placed correctly when you bite your teeth then you have a misaligned jaw. An uneven jaw can affect your day-to-day activities such as chewing, breathing, speaking, etc., making it necessary to carry out jaw correction at the earliest.

The most common types of jaw misalignment include having an underbite, an overbite, or a crossbite. The condition where the lower teeth are placed in front of the upper teeth when you bite is known as an underbite, whereas the upper teeth being exceedingly in front of the lower teeth is known as an overbite. In most cases, it is essential to fix an asymmetrical jaw by noticing the misaligned jaw symptoms followed by carrying out the right misaligned jaw treatment.

Symptoms of a Misaligned Jaw

You may have experienced some issues with your chewing or breathing habits. These might be because of a misaligned jaw. Below listed are the symptoms of a misaligned jaw:

• Recurring pain in the jaw

• Difficulty in breathing leading to sleep apnea

• Feeling discomfort while chewing or speaking

• Tightness in the jaw

• Headaches

• Issues with the appearance of your mouth

• Receding gum line

• Clicking sound when you bite your teeth

Reasons Leading to an Asymmetrical Jaw

Injury or Trauma

An injury or direct trauma to the jaw can cause a broken jaw or fracture leading to jaw misalignment. An accident or taking part in combat sports can lead to the possibility of having a misaligned jaw.

Malocclusion

Often misaligned teeth in your mouth can lead to the condition of a misaligned jaw causing an underbite or overbite. The misalignment of your jaw due to crooked teeth is known as malocclusion.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)

The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is the joint between the upper and the lower part of your jaw. The disorder of this joint can cause jaw misalignment leading to severe issues.

Congenital Disability

A misaligned jaw can be a congenital disability in some people which means the condition exists since the birth of the individual.

Treatment for Jaw Misalignment

The treatment for jaw misalignment will depend on the type and severity of each case. It may either involve surgery or the use of appliances such as braces or aligners depending upon the degree of the misalignment.

Braces

Treatment with braces is the most common way to treat an asymmetrical jaw. In traditional braces, brackets are attached to each tooth followed by the placement of an archwire through these brackets.

Headgear Braces

These types of braces are special jaw alignment braces that carry out the jaw alignment by exerting pressure from both inside and outside of the mouth. The braces attached to your teeth are assisted through the straps on the headgear.

Upper Jaw Expander

The upper jaw expander is a wireframe device that is fitted across the palate of your mouth to widen it. This device is used mainly to fix an underbite issue in your jaw.

Jaw Surgery

Major cases of misaligned jaw need to be treated with corrective jaw surgery. A jaw surgery will be recommended by your orthodontist if it is required to fix your jaw alignment issue. Corrective jaw surgery can effectively straighten and align your jaw to achieve an even bite.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners or invisible aligners are also used to treat jaw misalignment issues. If you are someone who wants your braces to not be visible and also not restrict you from eating your favourite food, then you can switch to clear aligners. These are invisible trays customised as per your jaw and make your teeth move in the desired position discreetly. You can take them on and off while consuming food. Moreover, there are no small internal injuries to your jaw such as soreness or even ulcers due to constant rubbing as compared to braces with archwires.

Conclusion

It is necessary to fix any jaw alignment issues that may arise to avoid experiencing difficulties in your day-to-day activities. You can carry out your jaw and teeth correction process with the use of high-quality clear aligners from makeO toothsi. The clear aligners from makeO toothsi can fix various teeth and jaw alignment issues such as teeth gaps, uneven bite, and crooked teeth. You can start your teeth straightening process with a pricing plan starting from ₹3,219/month.

FAQs

1. How do you fix a misaligned jaw?

For severe cases of jaw misalignment, an orthodontic jaw surgery is required to fix the jaw and create an even bite. Other solutions include the use of braces, headgear braces, upper jaw expanders, reverse pull face masks, etc. for the treatment of a misaligned jaw.

2. What are the symptoms of a misaligned jaw?

Some of the symptoms of a misaligned jaw include recurring pain, tightness, and discomfort in the jaw followed by headaches. You can also experience severe symptoms such as receding gum lines, loose teeth, cosmetic issues, etc. if the misalignment is not treated in time.

3. Can a misaligned jaw fix itself?

A misaligned jaw can fix itself with time only if the misalignment of your jaw is mild. In most cases, orthodontic surgery needs to be carried out to fix a misaligned jaw.

4. Is jaw misalignment serious?

Severe cases of jaw misalignment can lead to difficulties in day-to-day activities such as breathing, chewing, sleeping, speaking, etc. Jaw misalignment can also affect your overall oral health which may lead to gum diseases and tooth decay if not treated in time. You can experience cosmetic issues, receding gum lines, and even be at the risk of having loose teeth.

5. How do you realign your jaw?

There are various dental procedures that can be carried out to fix a misaligned jaw. Some of the possible options to realign your jaw will include wearing braces, headgear braces, or upper jaw expander. In most cases, a dental jaw surgery will be recommended by your orthodontist to realign your jaw.