Addressing Overbites with Braces: How Your Face Will Develop

Braces are an effective method for correcting various dental and jaw alignment issues, including overbites. If you're 14 and considering getting braces for an overbite, it's important to understand how your facial development might be impacted. Here, we'll explore the process, treatment duration, and the role of retainers in ensuring long-term success.

Understanding Your Facial Development

During your teenage years, your jaw and facial bones are still in a growing phase. This ongoing development means that they can be guided by orthodontic treatment to improve alignment and correct overbites. Your face has the potential to develop into a more balanced and correct position, even with braces.

The Braces Treatment Process

Once you get your braces, you're in for a period of adjustment. It's common for your orthodontist to recommend wearing braces for a significant duration, often around 2.5 years, to achieve the desired straightening and alignment. This length of time allows the braces to work effectively and guide your facial structure into a more ideal position.

Using Rubber Bands for Jaw Alignment

As your treatment progresses, your orthodontist may introduce rubber bands or elastics, which are small, invisible rubber bands attached to your braces. These elastics play a crucial role in correcting your bite by pushing your lower jaw back or forward. This process helps align your inner mouth's jaw with your teeth, eliminating an overbite or an underbite. Expect to start seeing changes as you move closer to the end of your treatment period, typically around eight months or more from when you first start using these elastics.

Retainers: A Long-Term Commitment

Once your braces are removed, it's essential to wear retainers to maintain the new position of your teeth and ensure that your jaw continues to develop correctly. While the primary correction happens during the braces phase, retainers are crucial for long-term success. They prevent your teeth from moving back into their original positions, ensuring that your facial structure maintains the balance and alignment achieved through orthodontic treatment.

Critical Role of Regular Check-Ups

Regular check-ups with your orthodontist are vital. They can provide personalized insights based on your specific case and growth patterns. Your orthodontist will monitor your progress, make necessary adjustments, and ensure that your facial development follows the right path.

Overall, with proper treatment and care, your facial structure should develop into a more balanced position, corrected for both dental and jaw alignment.