A lot of patients have heard about buck teeth but are not familiar with the causes of buck teeth. In dentistry buck teeth is known as overjet and there are usually two types of reasons which causes this to happen which is linked to skeletal discrepancy or environmental factors. So which cause is more severe?

1. Skeletal Discrepancy

One cause of protruding teeth is an imbalance in the growth of the upper and lower jaws. When the upper jaw is large or when the lower jaw is small, the upper teeth will be positioned far in front of the lower teeth. 

2. Environmental Factors

A prolonged thumb-sucking habit, bottle feeding or a habit of chewing on something can cause pressure on the front teeth. Over time this can cause the teeth to move.

Spacing or crowding can change the alignment of your front teeth and cause the appearance of buck teeth. Missing teeth allows your remaining teeth to shift over time, affecting the position of your front teeth.

Treatment for Buck Teeth

Depending on the cause of buck teeth there are different types of treatment plans are available. For buck teeth that are causes by environmental factors then the use of orthodontics should be sufficient to correct the problem. For example for which cases which are not complex then by extracting teeth and creating space and the use of orthodontics this can allow the teeth to move into the correct position.

However, in cases which are severe and complex then there will be the need for orthodontics and corrective jaw surgery to correct the overjet. In terms of complexity treating skeletal discrepancy buck teeth cases are more difficult than those caused by environmental factors.

Regardless whether the problem is linked to skeletal discrepancy or environmental factors you should see a professional orthodontist for a consultation. During a consultation x-rays will be taken so the orthodontist can diagnose the problem and offer a treatment plan.