How aligners correct each type of bite, with elastics, attachments and staged movements, is explained in the clear aligners for overbite guide at MapleRidgeClearAligners.com. This page covers the step before that: how a certified specialist orthodontist works out which tool your bite actually needs.
The three questions we answer at the evaluation
- Is the problem dental or skeletal? Teeth tipped out of position respond well to aligners. A jaw that sits too far forward, too far back or is too narrow is a different problem. Photographs, the scan and, when indicated, an x-ray tell us which one you have.
- Is the patient still growing? In children and teens, jaw growth can be guided. In adults it cannot, so skeletal problems are camouflaged, accepted or corrected surgically.
- Is something else driving the bite? Mouth breathing, a tongue thrust, a thumb habit or jaw joint symptoms all change the plan. We screen for breathing and airway concerns at every assessment.
What we typically recommend
| What we find | Our usual recommendation |
|---|---|
| Mild to moderate deep overbite | Aligners, which handle these well |
| Upper teeth sticking out (overjet) in a growing teen | Aligners with elastics, or braces, timed to use growth |
| Mild dental underbite or a single-tooth crossbite | Aligners, sometimes with elastics |
| Narrow upper jaw in a child | A palatal expander in early treatment, with aligners or braces later |
| Mild open bite in an adult | Aligners, often a good tool for this |
| Severe deep bite with heavy wear, or an open bite from a tongue habit | Braces or a combination, sometimes with myofunctional therapy |
| Significant skeletal underbite or overjet in an adult | Orthodontics combined with jaw surgery, whichever appliance is used |
A guide, not a diagnosis. The recommendation for your bite comes from your own records.
When we recommend braces instead
When the movement your bite needs is one aligners do less predictably, or when we doubt the daily wear will happen. Sometimes the answer is both: braces for a few months to do the difficult part, then aligners to finish. Braces or Invisalign: how we decide sets out that reasoning.
Why children are assessed early
A crossbite or a jaw growing in the wrong direction is far easier to guide at 8 than to correct at 28. That is why a first orthodontic check by about age 7 is recommended, and why an adult's skeletal bite problem has fewer options. See what age a child should first see an orthodontist.
Find out what your bite needs
A complimentary evaluation at myORTHODONTIST Maple Ridge tells you whether aligners, braces or growth guidance suit your bite, with the full fee in writing. No referral needed.