Will Overbite and Teeth Crowding Weaken Teeth?

The simple answer is ACID weakens teeth. That's about it. (Having said that...You could arguably say some fillings weaken teeth. That's another story.) The reality is crowding, overbite, underbite, grinding, clenching, chewing ice, etc will not 'weaken' your teeth, they DAMAGE your teeth. The difference is that damage is irreversible, weak teeth can usually be fortified. Acid attacks occur all day, when we eat and drink. The bacteria in our mouth breaks the sugar down and the... more

Having a non-ideal bite may weaken teeth over time as having properly interdigitating teeth actually protects your teeth overall from excessive wear over time, especially if you grind your teeth. Certain concepts as "incisal guidance" and "protrusive excursion" can be obtained from an ideal occlusion, which entails (without being technical) roughly 2mm of overbite, teeth fitting together on the side properly, and minimal crowding. Enamel removal between teeth may be... more

A better question is how can I get the most ideal correction of an overbite and crowding?  Overbites and crowding are due to skeletal imbalances that can be corrected at any age with dentofacial orthopedics, a European style of orthodontics that can correct these problems without permanent teeth removal (or tooth reduction or surgery) and a significant reduction of of time in braces.  Patients end up with a full beautiful smile with better facial proportions, something to... more

Tooth filing, also known as "slenderizing" is used to correct minor crowding. It does not weaken the teeth because it removes only a small fraction of the enamel between the teeth. If there is major crowding and a significant overbite other procedures will also be needed along with the braces. Your orthodontist will be careful to keep the slenderizing to a safe level.

This question could be answered two ways: Reducing the enamel on the top of the teeth or reducing the enamel on the sides of the teeth.  Wearing down the enamel on the tops of your teeth, otherwise known as grinding, can cause potential chipping of teeth - possibly even fracturing of teeth - and exposure of the dentin of the teeth which can lead to sensitivity.  At our office, we try to limit incisal reduction.   When you consider grinding the sides... more

Sometimes referred to as slenderizing, the filing between the teeth is minor. If you are concerned, ask for some fluoride gel to place in the aligners to help reminerlize

Having an overbite with crowding does not weaken teeth but crowded teeth are more likely to trap food which can result in decay. Generally, the best way to correct both an overbite and crowding is by orthodontic treatment. If the teeth are simply "filed" to correct the overbite, this will remove enamel which may expose the dentine, making the teeth sensitive and more prone to decay. It will also alter the height:width ratio of the teeth (ie. the teeth may look short and wide), resulting... more