Protruding front teethProtruding front teeth
Teeth that stick out on their own are different from a jawbone that sticks out too. If only the teeth stick out, moving them or changing their shape can solve it, but if the bone is the cause, it is beyond that scope. At Wonjin Dental Clinic, we first check what sticks out and by how much.
On this page
First, we look at the cause
Two cases can look the same and still need different treatment if the cause is different. If you fix only the shape and leave the cause, the same problem usually comes back in the same place.
How can I tell whether only my front teeth stick out or my jaw does?
If your jawline looks natural in profile but only the front teeth tilt forward, only the teeth stick out. This case is much easier to treat.
The jawbone is in a normal position, but the front teeth tilt forward. They may have been pushed out for lack of space, or it may be the result of a force built up over a long time, such as thumb-sucking in childhood. Only the teeth need to be moved, so the scope of treatment is narrow.
This is when
You can close your mouth comfortably, and from the side your jawline looks natural but only your front teeth stick out.
Then
Often only a few front teeth need to be moved, so it takes less time than full orthodontics. After they are moved, you wear a retainer.
What we look at first
My front teeth overlap and have pushed forward.
There is not enough room for the teeth to line up. A tooth pushed forward looks like protrusion, and one pushed to the side and overlapping looks like a snaggletooth.
If the teeth are large or many for the size of the jaw, there is no room for all of them to line up. Protrusion and a snaggletooth look different but have the same cause. If teeth are pushed into place without making room, another spot sticks out instead.
This is when
Your front teeth overlap, with one shifted forward and one shifted back. A toothbrush has trouble reaching that spot.
Then
We first decide where and how much room to make. This is where it is decided whether to make room by slightly narrowing the teeth or to use another method.
What we look at first
Can teeth look like they stick out when they actually do not?
Yes. If a front tooth has grown long or the teeth next to it sit further inward, it looks like it sticks out by comparison.
If the neighboring teeth you compare against sit inward, a front tooth in the right position also looks like it sticks out. The same goes when only the front teeth have grown long downward. In this case there is nothing to move, so treatment that moves the teeth would actually look less natural.
This is when
From the side they do not stick out. They stand out only from the front. Your front teeth are quite different in length from the teeth next to them.
Then
Without moving the teeth, just reshaping the length and corners can make a difference. Very little is removed, and it is done the same day.
What we look at first
What do you do when the jawbone sticks out?
It is beyond what treatment that moves teeth can do. If only the teeth are moved back, the bone stays where it is, so the teeth tip back unnaturally.
The upper jawbone itself sits forward. You have to make an effort to close your mouth, and in profile it is the whole mouth that sticks out, not just the front teeth. Forcing the teeth back in this case can push on the gums and damage the roots.
This is when
It is hard to close your mouth comfortably, and in profile your lips are in front of a line from the tip of your nose to the tip of your chin.
Then
This case is beyond what Wonjin Dental Clinic treats. If that is our judgment after the exam, we will tell you plainly and let you know where to go.