A misaligned jaw (also known as malocclusion) refers to a number of potential irregularities or issues that affect the set of your jaw or the correctness of your bite. A misaligned jaw can lead to several functional or aesthetic problems including difficulty chewing, trouble with speech or speaking, as well as facial asymmetry. Despite the issues that can accompany a misaligned jaw, there are several treatments available. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common solutions that fix a misaligned jaw.

Orthodontic Treatment

One of the more familiar approaches to correcting mild to moderate malocclusion is orthodontic treatment such as braces, clear aligners, or palate expanders. Devices such as these fix misalignments by slowly reshaping the jaw and lower and upper arches and bringing them into proper alignment. Orthodontic treatments like this are most effective for issues like overbites, crossbites, and open bites.

Corrective Jaw Surgery

Also known as orthognathic surgery, corrective jaw surgery is performed to correct more severe skeletal misalignments of the jaw. Surgery not only can improve the function of your jaw and mouth but can also aid in circumstances of aesthetic abnormalities. Corrective jaw surgery is usually revered for individuals with severe jaw misalignment which cannot be treated with orthodontic treatment alone. These more severe issues include severe underbites or overbites, facial asymmetry, and jaw misalignments that lead to difficulty speaking, chewing, or even breathing. Jaw surgery can carefully reposition the jaw bones and may be preceded and followed with other orthodontic treatments like braces or aligners.

Palatal Expansion

For non-surgical orthodontic treatment, you may be considered for palatal expansion to fix a misaligned jaw. Generally used in less severe cases of malocclusion, palate expanders work by widening the upper jaw with dental arches. These custom-made devices apply gentle, continuous pressure to the upper arch which creates more room to combat overcrowding teeth or issues of impacted teeth due to a narrow upper jaw.

Jaw Orthopedics

Functional jaw orthopedics is an orthodontic treatments that focus on correcting skeletal discrepancies of the jaw like malocclusion and jaw misalignment specifically in growing children and adolescents. Jaw orthopedics includes the use of specialized devices like the Herbst appliances or Twin Block appliances to guide jaw growth or to gradually correct an incorrect bite. Jaw orthopedics are best used in the early development of children, thus reducing the likelihood of possible jaw surgery later in life. 

In conclusion, while a misaligned jaw can be a pretty significant issue, both functionally and aesthetically, there are many ways to combat and address the underlying issues and achieve a more normal, healthy bite. Your dentist or orthodontist will be able to discuss the best options, employing the use of whatever personalized treatments will achieve the best outcome for you both for your overall oral health and for facial symmetry.