"Hey, Dr. O'Leary! What is malocclusion?"

Malocclusion, or what Dr. O'Leary calls “bad bite,” is the improper alignment of your teeth and/or jaws. When your teeth and jaws are not properly aligned, it may impact your bite, the ability to properly care for your teeth, your gum tissue health and, yes, even your appearance.

If untreated, Dr. O'Leary will tell you malocclusion can lead to undesirable mouth problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, or chipped and cracked teeth. The most common solution for malocclusion, of course, is orthodontic treatment. The actual course of treatment, including the length of time you will require braces, will be determined by severity of your malocclusion. The goal of your treatment is to move your teeth into the proper position and correct any misalignment in the jaw. If overcrowding is causing the problem, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda orthodontist Dr. Kay O'Leary may need to have you get one or more teeth removed as part of treatment.

At O'Leary Orthodontics, we use the most advanced technology in the field in order to ensure that you receive the best possible results from your orthodontic treatment. If you have any questions about malocclusion, please give us a call and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have.