Alignment 101: How Are Your Teeth Supposed to Sit?
- ✅ Medically Reviewed by Shoreline Dental Studio
- September 19, 2024
Smile design has become very popular lately, including using orthodontics to correct the position of your bite. But how are your teeth supposed to sit in your mouth? If you don’t know, you might not be able to identify an alignment issue until it starts to cause problems – and fixing these issues can get expensive! Luckily, our dental studio is giving away FREE smile transformations to deserving individuals. Simply send a photo of your smile and an essay describing how this makeover would change your life to smilemakeover@shorelinedentalstudio.com Nominate yourself or someone special – entries close on October 1st! Wondering if you qualify for a smile makeover? Interested in understanding a healthy bite and how to check it? Your friendly neighborhood dentists are here to help!
What is a Healthy Bite?
If your upper and lower teeth fit together comfortably when your mouth is closed, your bite is probably pretty good. If you’re properly aligned, you’ll be able to speak clearly, chew effectively, and shouldn’t experience pain or discomfort in your jaw. In fact, proper alignment is important for your overall dental and jaw health!
But how should my teeth line up?
- From the front, your upper teeth should be in line with your lower, but slightly more forward. Too far in either direction results in an underbite or an overbite.
- From the top – that is, looking at your lower jaw in the mirror or taking a photo to check it out – your teeth should be nicely arranged in a smooth arch. If a tooth is jutting out or overlapping with each other, that’s a sign of misalignment. (The same is true of your upper jaw, but that’s more difficult to check for yourself!)
- From the side, your teeth should meet like gears, just slightly offset so the pointy top teeth settle in the dips between the lower teeth.
Smile Makeovers: Align, Transform & Shine!
Perfect teeth alignment isn’t just an aesthetic issue. If your teeth aren’t sitting together correctly, it can cause problems like uneven wearing, tooth decay, and gum disease – not to mention jaw problems and headaches. If you don’t take care of your misalignment, the problems can get worse – and even more costly to fix. However, expert solutions are just a phone call away. With our Digital Smile Design process, we’ll review your teeth alignment options, and you’ll be able to preview your new smile before we even begin! Plus, remember that we’re offering FREE life-transformative smile makeovers! Enter yourself or nominate that someone special by emailing smilemakeover@shorelinedentalstudio.com – and keep that smile aligned, healthy, and shining bright! *Entries close on October 1st, 2024.