The rabbit teeth emerge when upper teeth move forward by exerting pressure on the outer area; therefore, these teeth appear slightly larger than usual. However, the teeth of the lower jaw are placed properly, and the upper jaw teeth might cause misalignment.
Accordingly, there are two general concepts: overjet (i.e. horizontal protrusion of upper teeth) and overbite (i.e. the vertical distance between upper and lower front teeth). These conditions can be corrected through the orthodontic treatment methods. Fortunately, there are now successful therapeutic methods employed by dentists to treat rabbit teeth. Moreover, having a beautiful small design and aligned teeth can be correlated directly with increased self-confidence. In fact, everybody deserves to have a beautiful and unique smile. Nevertheless, if people have various dental problems, they may conceal their smiles even when they know the value of a beautiful smile.
However, concerns about dental malocclusions such as rabbit teeth have totally been dealt with because these problems can be solved with timely referral to a specialist.
Importance Of Correcting Rabbit Teeth
Tooth misalignment and malocclusions not only affect the beauty of your face, but will bring a variety of complications. This includes chewing foods, drinking liquids as well as different pains in the jaw.
However, it should be noted that a section of people have slight overjet or rabbit teeth that may be neglected in many scenarios. In multiple cases, these problems might be so severe that they can cause problems such as chewing disorders, dysphasia, and aesthetic issues.
Treating rabbit teeth can solve the problems of chewing foods, drinking liquids, dysphasia, and misalignment of front teeth. In this regard, it is necessary to consult a skilled orthodontist to achieve the best result.
Causes Of Rabbit Teeth
It’s good to know, there are various different causes of rabbit teeth, and people should pay attention to different habits of their children at low ages to prevent such problems.
In addition to heredity which is a major cause of dental alignment, wrong habits of the childhood can play a significant role. In fact, habits such as sucking fingers or using pacifiers can cause rabbit teeth. However, extra and hidden teeth may also be a cause for malocclusions. This includes rabbit teeth by causing problems for the growth of the main teeth.
Treatment Methods For Rabbit Teeth
The conventional methods for treating rabbit teeth include dental laminates, dental composites, and orthodontic brackets.
1-How Do Laminates Correct Rabbit Teeth?
Laminates are employed to treat rabbit teeth. In this method, enamels are carved as much as possible so that laminates are installed easily. This method is not preferable for healthy teeth because of carving enamels. However, it is prescribed for chipped, crooked, broken, damaged, and discolored teeth with structural problems.
2-Composites Another Way of Treating Rabbit Teeth
The implementation of this method is characterized by using less time, lower cost, and lower durability than laminates. This method is often used for correcting the teeth that look slightly like rabbit teeth. Composites are commonly placed as a thin layer on the teeth and are fixed with the dental curing light.
3-Treating Rabbit Teeth with Orthodontics
The best easy & famous method for treating rabbit teeth is to use orthodontics. In fact, orthodontic brackets can be employed to move the teeth backward and align them properly. The best time to start the orthodontic treatment is at an early age before the jaws and teeth become resistant to changeability. This is as the bones wouldn’t have fully developed, making it softer.
Advantages of Orthodontics for Treating Rabbit Teeth
This method provides many advantages, some of which are as follows:
- Guaranteeing facial beauty and creating a beautiful smile
- Increasing self-confidence
- Providing dental and oral hygiene and mitigating gum-related risks
- Prolonging the lifetime of teeth and reducing the risk of dental disorders
- Solving the speaking problems
- Treating rabbit teeth at different ages
At the first glance, a beautiful smile may be considered a reason for undergoing the orthodontic treatment provided by a prominent orthodontist. Undoubtedly, people will think highly of their apparent beauty and may lose their self-confidence in different conditions of dental malocclusions. It’s why it’s better to have orthodontics as soon as possible, to decrease self-consciousness and be yourself.
Rabbit teeth may be treated with fixed and removable orthodontic appliances. The removable orthodontic appliances are used mainly for patients of younger ages due to their jaw bones being more flexible. At ages above maturity, rabbit teeth are treated with fixed orthodontic appliances. With the pressures exerted by the fixed orthodontic appliances on the jaw, teeth are directed to the right place properly, and the rabbit tooth problem is resolved.
Treatment Of Rabbit Teeth With Orthodontics FAQ
1-Is It Possible To Treat Rabbit Teeth Without Using Orthodontics?
Considering that rabbit teeth (overbite) malocclusion occurs due to protrusion of the patient’s teeth or upper jaw, this type of malocclusion should be treated using fixed or removable orthodontics. Lathing the teeth and using teeth restorative methods not only does not fully fix the rabbit teeth malocclusion, but causes serious damage to the teeth and their enamel. Teeth restoration methods are recommended for covering teeth fracture, correcting teeth color, and lengthening small and grinded teeth.
2-Does Rabbit Teeth Require Surgery?
Patients with jaw malocclusion whose growth and puberty are completed might need surgery besides orthodontics treatment. These patients should be treated by ortho-surgery. An orthodontist can move a patient’s jaws before puberty is complete using movable orthodontics and without the need for surgery. However, in case of severe malocclusion after the completion of growth, this problem can be fixed by surgery.
3-What Will Happen If Rabbit Teeth Are Not Treated?
If the persons’ rabbit teeth isn’t treated, the front teeth will be prone to decay, damage, and fracture. Besides, rabbit teeth affect the form of lips and lead to an unnatural and unattractive appearance.
4-When Will Rabbit Teeth Stop Growing?
During puberty and as long as the patient’s body is growing, the rabbit teeth has a possibility of growing larger. For instance, in patients who are suffering from this type of malocclusion on account of upper jaw protrusion, the front teeth will grow larger as a result of this type of malocclusion and it will lead to excessive growth of the upper jaw in case of failure to treat it. This malocclusion will intensify until the completion of the patient’s growth.
5-Is It Possible to Shorten Rabbit Teeth?
Consult an orthodontist to treat rabbit teeth and shorten teeth using restorative methods. In most cases, shortening and lathing teeth are not necessary and an orthodontist can move patients’ teeth through a course of orthodontics treatment and without causing any damage to its standard position.
6-What Is the Orthodontics Treatment for Fixing Rabbit Teeth?
Rabbit teeth malocclusion is normally caused due to jaw or dental malocclusion or both. An orthodontist can correct jaw malocclusion using removable orthodontics. Besides, they can treat and correct dental malocclusion using fixed orthodontics.
7-How Long Does Orthodontic Treatment for Rabbit Teeth Take?
Patients with rabbit teeth normally suffer from overjet, overbite, or open bite. Treatment of dental malocclusion using orthodontics will take from one and a half to two years. If a patient suffers from jaw problems the duration of treatment will be longer.
8-Is Orthodontics the Only Treatment Method for Rabbit Teeth?
An orthodontist chooses the correct way to treat rabbit teeth at their own discretion. In most cases, orthodontic is the only treatment for rabbit teeth. When a patient is not suffering from jaw malocclusion and their teeth are located in the right position, orthodontics treatment cannot fix the rabbit teeth. However, it is a rare case since jaw or dental malocclusion is normally the cause of this type of malocclusion.