overbite

Thân thiện

A young girl smiles, showing a slight overbite.

Definition

Noun: A dental condition where the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth vertically to an excessive degree. This is a type of malocclusion (imperfect positioning of the teeth when the jaws are closed).

Usage

The term is used specifically in dental and medical contexts to describe a common orthodontic issue. It is a countable noun. * An overbite can sometimes cause jaw pain or difficulty chewing. * The orthodontist said her overbite was quite pronounced. * He is getting braces to correct his overbite.

Advanced Usage

• Deep overbite: A more severe form where the upper teeth cover the lower teeth almost completely.
  • A deep overbite may require more complex orthodontic treatment.
• Skeletal overbite: An overbite caused primarily by the underlying bone structure of the jaws, rather than just the position of the teeth.
  • His skeletal overbite meant that jaw surgery was a possible option.

Variants and Related Words

• Overjet (Noun): Often confused with overbite. Overjet refers to the horizontal protrusion of the upper teeth over the lower teeth (sometimes called "buck teeth"), while overbite refers to the vertical overlap.
• Malocclusion (Noun): The general term for any misalignment of teeth or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches.
• Underbite (Noun): The opposite condition, where the lower teeth extend forward past the upper teeth.

Synonyms

• Deep bite (clinical synonym)
• Vertical overlap (descriptive term)

Antonyms

• Underbite: A malocclusion where the lower teeth protrude past the upper teeth.
• Open bite: A malocclusion where the upper and lower teeth do not touch when the mouth is closed.

Học thuật

Noun

1. (dentistry) malocclusion in which the upper teeth extend abnormally far over the lower teeth