What is Malocclusion? - Square Smiles

What is Malocclusion?

Malocclusion is the medical term for crowded teeth or teeth that are not aligned properly.  The literal meaning of the word is “bad bite”. Occlusion is the alignment of the teeth and the way your upper teeth and lower teeth fit together.

Most of the time, Malocclusion is hereditary, which means it is passed down from your parents or family. It is difficult to pinpoint one cause of Malocclusion because it could be caused by a difference in size of the upper and lower jaws, tooth size, number of teeth, or the relationship between jaw and tooth size. However, Malocclusion is very treatable by an experienced orthodontist.

Other causes include thumb sucking tongue thrusting, pacifier use beyond the age of 3, extra teeth, lost teeth, misalignment of jaw after a severe injury, or tumors of the mouth and jaw.

If you are interested in getting braces to treat Malocclusion, please contact Square Smiles at 617-898-0220. Dr. Elon Joffre, has years of experience treating Malocclusion and can help you get the smile that you’ve always wanted.

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