noun
definition
A misalignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth.
Examples of malocclusion in a Sentence
More than 90 percent of children have some degree of malocclusion or poor bite.
Guinea pigs with this problem should not be bred since dental malocclusion is often hereditary.
There is little that the pet owner can do about the former, but you can prevent malocclusion due to poor diet.
In the whole sample, 81% presented no malocclusion and only two questionable cases of fluorosis were observed.
However, symptoms of malocclusion usually develop gradually beginning at the age of six.
Some children experience mild, temporary symptoms of malocclusion resulting from a growth spurt.
Severe malocclusion may require orthodontic intervention to improve appearance or to prevent problems with eating and speaking.
Orthodontic treatment is sometimes necessary to correct malocclusion, a condition that shifts the position of the teeth and makes closing the mouth impossible.
Malocclusion is the misalignment of the upper and lower teeth when biting or chewing.
The word malocclusion literally means "bad bite."
Malocclusion may be seen as crooked, crowded, or protruding teeth.
Most children have some degree of malocclusion.
Malocclusion usually does not require treatment except for cosmetic reasons.
It is more likely to occur if the parents have malocclusion, the child sucks his or her thumb or a pacifier, or if a tooth is lost prematurely.
Malocclusion is most often found during a routine dental examination.
When malocclusion is suspected, photographs and x rays of the face and mouth may be taken for further study.
To confirm the presence and extent of malocclusion, the dentist makes plaster or plastic models of the patient's teeth from impressions.
Malocclusion may be remedied by orthodontic treatment.
Braces are the most commonly used orthodontic appliances in the treatment of malocclusion.
If overcrowding is creating malocclusion, one or more teeth may be extracted (surgically removed), giving the others room to move.
In severe cases of malocclusion, surgery may be necessary and the patient is referred to another specialist, an oral or maxillofacial surgeon.
Orthodontic treatment is the only effective treatment for malocclusion not requiring surgery.
Braces are used to treat malocclusion by changing the position of the teeth.
This therapy may allow correction of some cases of malocclusion.
Depending on the cause and severity of the malocclusion and the appliance used in treatment, a patient may expect correction of the condition to take two or more years.
In general, malocclusion is not preventable.
Most of the time, malocclusion is treated for cosmetic reasons.
The most common cause of malocclusion is a disproportion in size between the jaw and teeth or between the upper and lower jaws.
Occasionally children have mild, temporary symptoms of malocclusion resulting from a growth spurt.
Open bite-A malocclusion in which some teeth do not meet the opposing teeth.
If the malocclusion is thought to be caused by the child sucking on fingers or a pacifier and the child is stopped early enough, the malocclusion may resolve spontaneously without treatment.