I've been in braces going on 5 months now and I'm abit shy to say I'm not up with the lingo like most people on this board are
. I am usually left blinking at the screen in confusion when I see orthodonic related terms used in posts. I don't know if your orthodontist is like mine but I didn't exactly get a clear description of my condition - well not after the initial consultation anyway. (Who does absorb all that information at the consultation?) Me - I was eyeing off the giant braced model teeth mould propted - up in the corner of the room 
Anyways, I googled some stuff and this is what I came up with - the cheat sheet (for the rest of us). I like to call it "Orthodontia For Dummies":
Definations:
Crossbite: Crossbite can occur in the front and/or the sides of the mouth. One or more upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth. This can occur with a single tooth or multiple teeth. Early correction of crossbite is recommended.
Before:
After:
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Openbite Openbite is an insufficient vertical overlap of the teeth. It is caused by oral habits such as tongue thrust, digit sucking, or when the jaws don't grow evenly. Timing of treatment is critical to the overall success of the therapy. Openbite can be corrected through growth modifcation of the jaws using braces; extrusion of the front and anterior teeth; and in some cases surgical correction of the jaws. Also, breaking oral habits such as digit sucking, will facilitate the correction of an openbite.
Before:
After:
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Overbite occurs when the upper front teeth protrude over the lower front teeth. Generally there is no contact between the upper and lower front teeth. Often you cannot see the lower incisors. Overbite is due to a disproportionate amount of eruption of front teeth, or over development of the bone that supports the teeth, and a front to back discrepancy in the growth of the upper or lower jaw (Class II Relationship). Overbite is also known as a deep bite. Overbite can be corrected through moving the front teeth up and/or bringing the back teeth together, which will "open" the bite so the teeth are properly aligned and the deep bite is eliminated.
Before:
After:
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Overjet is also known as protrusion. It is where the lower teeth are too far behind the upper front teeth. This can be caused by an improper alignment of the molars (Class II Relationship); a skeletal imblance of the upper and lower jaw; flared upper incisors; missing lower teeth; or a combination of all the above. In addition, oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking or tongue thrusting can exacerbate the condition.
Overjet can be corrected through growth modification using a functional appliance and/or elastics to reduce the skeletal imbalance or extraction of teeth.
Before:
After:
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Underbite The lower teeth protrude past the front teeth. An underbite is usually caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or a combination of the two (Class III Relationship). Underbite can also be caused by flared upper incisors, missing lower teeth or a combination of all the above. Early correction of underbite is recommended.
Impacted Teeth Impactions can be caused by improper positioning of the developing tooth bud. This can cause the tooth to fail to erupt into the mouth. Impactions can also be caused by early loss of primary teeth or crowding of teeth. Wisdom teeth are the most commonly impacted teeth, but canines and premolars are also commonly impacted. How can impacted teeth be orthodontically corrected?
Usually the impacted tooth is exposed and over the course of a few months and brought into the correct position of the mouth. Correction of impacted teeth may involve a minor surgical procedure performed by an oral surgeon working closely with our practice. This will allow us to then guide eruption of the impacted tooth into proper position.
Crowding Crowding is the lack of space for all the teeth to fit normally within the jaws. The teeth may be twisted or displaced. Crowding occurs when there is disharmony in the tooth to jaw size relationship, or when the teeth are larger than the available space. Crowding can be caused by early or late loss of primary teeth, or improper eruption of teeth. How can crowding be orthodontically corrected?Extra space can be created by expansion of the arches or extraction of teeth. Once space is created, braces will eliminate the crowding and align the teeth. Correction of crowding can help prevent dental decay and periodontal disease by improving the ability to remove plaque from the teeth
Spacing Spacing, the opposite of crowding, is an excess of space for your teeth, resulting in gaps between your teeth. This generally occurs when the teeth are smaller than the available space. Spacing can also be caused by protrusive teeth, missing or impacted teeth, or abnormal tissue attachments to the gums. How can spacing of the teeth be orthodontically corrected? The spaces can be closed by moving the teeth together and properly aligning them within the arch.
Classification Of The Face
Maxillary-Mandibular Dental
Protrusion - Class 1
[This is an example of a dental malocclusion that may require the removal of teeth for correction.]
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Maxillary-Mandibular Dental
Retrusion - Class 1
[This is an example of a dental malocclusion that may be treated with expansion rather than removing teeth.]
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Maxillary Dental
Protrusion - Class 2
[This malocclusion may require the removal of teeth.]
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Mandibular Retrognathism
Class 2
[The lower jawbone has not grown as much as the upper jaw. This example of a Class II malocclusion demonstrates the need for early growth guidance.]
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Maxillary Dental Protrusion - teeth
& Mandibular Retrognathism - jaws
Class 2
[These Class malocclusions are more difficult to treat due to the skeletal disharmony and may require orthognathic surgery in conjunction with orthodontic treatment.]
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Mandibular Dental Protrusion
Class 3
The lower teeth are too far in front of the upper teeth. This malocclusion is treated with orthodontic procedures which may require the extraction of teeth due to the dental protrusion.
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Mandibular Prognathism - jaws:
Class 3
[The lower jaw bone has outgrown the upper jaw. This malocclusion is more difficult to treat due to the skeletal disharmony and may require orthognathic surgery in conjunction with orthodontic treatment.]
Hope you found that intresting as I did (and maybe alittle comical...the faces on those GIFS are a crack up
).~serendipity~
