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Having an overbite can cause a lot of problems in daily life, ranging from difficulty eating certain foods to having a problem with slurring your words or otherwise being unable to speak clearly. If you're wondering if this applies to you, then read this guide to find out if you have an overbite and if so, how it's impacting your ability to speak.

What an Overbite Is

An overbite is a lot what it sounds like: the upper jaw extends over the lower jaw too far. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the upper jaw is at fault.

In some cases, overbites are due to an underdeveloped lower jaw. This makes the upper jaw look as though it's jutting forward when, in reality, it's in the right place and the lower jaw is the one that didn't grow out far enough.

Not Enough Space

When your lower jaw doesn't grow far enough, it can actually impact the way that your tongue rests in your mouth. The tongue is supposed to have enough space to fully relax and extend in the jaw, but with some people who have overbites, there isn't enough space. This may apply to you.

Take a moment to feel where your tongue rests in your mouth. If it's curled upwards towards the end in order to fit in the jaw or if the tongue is pushing up against your lower teeth, and you know that your upper jaw appears to jut out over the lower jaw, then you may have this overbite problem.

Getting Help

The good news is that you're not doomed to have difficulty speaking just because you have a jaw development defect. Modern-day braces can take care of that without any problems.

Braces fix this problem by doing one of two things. With an overbite, typically the upper jaw is held back to reduce its size and prevent it from growing bigger, depending on the patient's age. (This is applicable when the patient's jaw is still growing, which is typically in childhood and young adulthood.)

The lower jaw will receive the opposite treatment. The teeth and jaw will gradually be pulled outward to help expand the space in the lower jaw. This will give you a more even-looking appearance, but most importantly, it will give your tongue more space to unfurl so that you can speak without any difficulty slurring or enunciating. Speak with an orthodontist in your area today.