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Occlusion is the term used to describe tooth alignment and the way the upper and lower teeth bite together.
There should be a small overlap between the upper and lower teeth. The opposing molar's grooves should suit the points of the molars.
The lower teeth guard your tongue, while the upper teeth prevent you from biting your cheeks and lips.
Most typically, malocclusion runs in families. This indicates that it is inherited within families. It could be brought on by a disparity in jaw size, either between the upper and lower jaws or between the jaw and the teeth.
It results in improper biting patterns or teeth crowding. Malocclusion can also result from jaw shape or congenital abnormalities like cleft lip and palate.
What is Class 2 Malocclusion?
Class 2 malocclusion, often known as "overbite" or "retrognathism," is a problem with the alignment of the teeth where the upper teeth significantly overlap the lower teeth while the jaws are closed.
If left untreated, this illness, which can affect both children and adults, may result in a number of dental and oral health issues.
What are the Causes of Malocclusion?
Malocclusion, which encompasses birth abnormalities like cleft lip and palate, is primarily hereditary in nature.
However, other elements, such as thumb sucking or prolonged dummy use, may also be at play.
These bad habits from childhood can cause teeth to move. But tooth position can also be affected by jaw trauma.
Other Causes
Childhood vices such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, dummy use past the age of three, and prolonged bottle use
Extra teeth, missing teeth, impacted teeth, or teeth with unusual shapes
Dental fillings, crowns, appliances, retainers, or braces that don't fit properly
Jaw fractures that are misaligned after a serious injury
The mouth and jaw tumours.
1. Genetics:
Class 2 malocclusions, among others, can be significantly influenced by hereditary factors.
2. Thumb Sucking:
Using a pacifier or thumb-sucking for an extended period of time throughout early childhood might change how the teeth and jaw are positioned.
3. Missing or Crowded Teeth:
Malocclusions can be caused by irregularities in the size and placement of teeth.
4. Dental Injuries:
A facial or jaw injury may cause a class 2 malocclusion by upsetting the teeth's and jaws' normal alignment.
What are the Types of Class 2 Malocclusion?
There are two main categories of class 2 malocclusion:
Division 1:
An obvious overbite results from the upper front teeth of this kind being greatly protruded. Frequently, the lower teeth point backwards.
Division 2:
The upper central incisors in Division 2 malocclusion are more upright, yet there is a profound overbite. Compared to Division 1, this type is less typical.
How to Fix Class 2 Malocclusion?
The top teeth protrude over the lower teeth, which is another sign of class 2 malocclusion, sometimes referred to as class 2 occlusion and class 2 bite.
However, this severe malocclusion will dramatically alter your bite. Early orthodontic treatment is required.
Your teeth's alignment may need to be corrected over several visits as part of malocclusion treatment. However, it is treatable permanently.
There are 2 subtypes of class 2 malocclusion.
- In division 1, upper teeth slant towards the lips.
- The upper central incisors in division 2 incline towards the tongue.
Class II malocclusions are one of the more often treated malocclusions in the Western world; they affect nearly 25% of 12-year-olds in the United Kingdom1 and 15% of 12 to 15-year-olds in the United States2.
Treatment for children between the ages of 7 and 11 with the goal of preventing a Class II division I malocclusion has grown in popularity over the past few decades, especially in some regions of Europe and the US.
Initial intervention during the mixed dentition (phase I) may be part of the treatment.
This is typically followed by a second round of appliance therapy during the early adolescent years (phase II).
Early intervention has substantial advantages, according to 2-phase treatment proponents, including
Normalization of skeletal development and pattern
A shorter duration for any subsequent phase II treatment
Future orthodontic treatment plans are quicker and easier.
Future permanent tooth extractions are less likely to be necessary.
Traumatic dental injuries are also considerably less likely to occur.
Treatment plans for class II malocclusions are divided into those for patients who are growing and those who are not. Class II malocclusion treatment timing has been a contentious issue for many years.
According to the available research, early orthodontic intervention for kids with class II malocclusions and prominent upper front teeth is more successful at lowering the risk of incisal damage than only one round of braces when the child is a young adolescent.
Early Treatment
As we are all aware, this form of therapy has undergone substantial research, and numerous studies and systematic reviews have been released.
These topics were covered in earlier blog entries on systematic review findings and the frequency of incisal trauma.
In this essay, I've also talked about how the delivery of care ought to be based on a combination of clinical expertise and empirical data.
In conclusion, early therapy combined with a subsequent round of orthodontics did not improve the skeletal pattern, the eventual occlusal outcome, or the necessity of extractions over a single round of treatment throughout adolescence.
However, early intervention does result in a brief rise in self-esteem, and there is some tenuous evidence that it lowers the incidence of incisal trauma.
One choice we must make is whether the child's self-esteem needs to be boosted at this point or whether it would be better to wait until definitive treatment can be provided in one phase at a later time, considering the drawbacks of doing two courses of treatment in terms of cost to the patient, the parent, or the state.
We must determine if the youngster is at risk for trauma due to their everyday activities when we assess the danger of trauma.
Patients with mild overjets (6–10 mm) in the late transitional or early permanent dentition frequently have a moderate skeletal discrepancy.
Again, we believe that this choice is obvious and that our level of conviction is very high. This group is often handled using a Twin Block.
The following conclusions come from our investigation into the relative efficacy of Twin Blocks and Herbst.
- In the majority of patients, the overjet corrects itself quickly.
- The UK has a 30% non-compliance rate, therefore cooperation is reasonable.
- Compared to Herbst appliances, they are considerably less expensive.
- They are much simpler to handle when issues arise.
- From the Twin Block to the fixed, the changeover is simple.
Although occasionally we strike lucky and find patients with highly favourable mandibular growth, we know that this device will minimize the overjet, primarily by tipping the teeth, but it won't change the skeletal pattern to a clinically important degree.
Importantly, we are unable to determine which patients will develop normally and which ones' teeth will merely tip.
We believe it is crucial to let patients know that, if they cooperate with treatment, we can fix their appearance even though the research suggests that their facial skeleton won't alter dramatically.
Orthodontic intervention is often used to treat class 2 malocclusions.
Here are some typical medical options:
1. Traditional Braces
​Traditional braces are frequently employed to progressively reposition teeth into their ideal positions. Both children and adults who receive this treatment can benefit from it.
2. Functional Appliances
Functional appliances are used in developing children to promote healthy jaw development and alignment. Examples include Herbst appliances and headgear.
3. Dental Surgery:
To adjust the jaws in extreme cases of class 2 malocclusion, surgery may be required. Usually, this is taken into account for adult patients.
4. Retainers:
Following orthodontic treatment, retainers are frequently worn to preserve the teeth's repaired alignment and avoid recurrence.
5. Early Intervention:
Class 2 malocclusion in children may benefit from early orthodontic evaluation and treatment before it worsens.
Class 2 Malocclusion Surgery cost
The finest functional and aesthetically pleasing outcomes from these surgeries are achieved by skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeons who have worked with a variety of jaw abnormalities.
The patient's quality of life is significantly improved through jaw repair. Jaw reconstruction can be done using a variety of surgical procedures. These include using distraction osteogenesis, reconstructive plates, and transplants.
Grafts might be made of synthetic materials or ones taken from the patients themselves. Distraction osteogenesis helps lengthen short jawbone by utilizing the idea of new bone formation.
In India, the price of a jaw operation can range from 50,000 to 3,000,000 INR, depending on how complicated the procedure is.
Outlook
When teeth alignment issues are rectified early on, they are simpler, quicker, and less expensive to cure.
Children and teenagers respond best to treatment because their bones are still pliable and their teeth can be repositioned more easily.
Six months to two years or longer may pass throughout treatment. Depending on how much adjustment is required, the time will vary.
Adult orthodontic issues can be successfully treated, but it may take longer to utilise braces or other orthodontic appliances.
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