Health Tip: Raising the Risk of Overbite

Ask your doctor when child should let go of pacifier, thumb-sucking

September 23, 2010 RSS Feed Print

(HealthDay News) -- An overbite, which doctors call malocclusion, occurs when the top teeth extend too far over the bottom teeth.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine says risk factors for overbite include:

A family history of the condition.
Birth defects or injuries that affect the structure or size of the jaw.
Childhood activities including use of a pacifier, sucking a thumb or using a bottle for too long.
Abnormalities of the teeth.
Dental or orthodontic treatments (such as braces, crowns or fillings) that don't fit well.
A tumor in the jaw or mouth.