What causes an overbite?
An overbite simply describes upper front teeth that close too far over the lower ones. A modest overlap is normal and desirable; it becomes something to treat when it is deep enough to wear the lower teeth, when the lower teeth start to bite into the gum behind the top ones, or when it leaves the front teeth prone to being chipped. The cause usually sits in one of two places, and telling them apart matters because it changes the treatment.
Sometimes the teeth themselves have drifted or grown in too far, and sometimes the upper and lower jaws are simply different sizes, so the teeth are only following where the bone puts them. Genetics play a large part, and childhood habits such as prolonged thumb sucking can add to it. Because the fix for a dental overbite differs from the fix for one rooted in the jaws, Dr. Catherine McLeod always looks for the source before recommending anything. Left unchecked, a heavy overbite can chip the upper teeth and strain the jaw over the years, which is why it is worth understanding what is behind yours.
How an overbite is corrected
In a growing child, the most elegant option is often to guide the jaws while they are still developing, which can ease a deep bite before it fully sets and sometimes shortens treatment later on. You can read more about this on our early treatment page. In teens and adults the teeth are moved into a better relationship with either braces or clear aligners, sometimes helped along by small elastics that ease the bite closed.
Whichever route suits you, the aim is the same: front teeth that meet cleanly, share the load evenly with the back teeth, and stay put once treatment ends. A retainer holds the result afterwards, because teeth naturally drift over a lifetime, and a corrected bite is well worth protecting.
What to expect at Embrace Orthodontics
Your first visit is a free consultation at our Spring Garden Road practice in Halifax, with no referral needed. Dr. Catherine McLeod, a specialist orthodontist rather than a general dentist, examines how your teeth meet, takes a comfortable iTero digital scan in place of goopy impressions, and explains what she sees as she goes. You leave with a written treatment plan and an exact, all-in quote, so there are no surprises later. There is no waitlist either, so once you ask, a consultation is usually only a week or two away.
Every mouth moves at its own pace, so timelines vary: a mild overbite can be sorted in a matter of months, while a fuller correction more often runs from about a year to a little over two. Dr. Catherine McLeod gives you an honest estimate for your own case, and wherever it is clinically possible she corrects the bite without removing adult teeth or resorting to jaw surgery. Interest-free monthly plans are there if you would like to spread the cost.