Possible cause of anterior open bite?

[balor124]

My bite seemed fine growing up until braces. About that time I started bruxing at night, maybe due to the stress from braces. Shortly afterwards my dentist gave me a nightguard to keep my teeth straight and prevent me from damaging my teeth any further. It's at that point that my bite started to open up. Recently I just realized that wearing a night guard could totally screw up a bite. Generally the ones on the upper teeth are big and prevent the tongue from pushing up against the palate and in general makes it hard to nose breath while sleeping. I've also noticed that nightguards designed to prevent buxism are angled to make it hard to grind but have the effect of also pushing the mandible back towards the throat, possibly constricting the airway further and causing apneas and thereby increasing the amount of bruxism that occurs. It seems like those problems combined could really interfere with normal jaw development. I've heard from a few professionals now that the story of braces to open bite is a common one (oral surgeon and dentist). At least from my history, I think this is how it happened. What do you all think? Is this etiology new to orthodontists and dentists?

[treichow]

I'm not sure but your story sounds familiar to mine.... my bite was fine for most of my adult life and then I had some dental work done that caused pain... I started grinding my teeth from the stress and was then given a mouth guard by my dentist. Didn't like my dentist (due to his response to my situation) so I switched dentists and he immediately mentioned my "traumatic bite." I then went to a prosthedontist/bite specialist who built a new mouthguard that was built up in the front to keep the pressure off my back teeth (due to the pain). The result of all of this treatment was an open bite. Braces were put on in January 2013 and I am having a Lefort 1 on Tuesday to finish the repairs to my bite. We aren't positive of what caused my bite to open up but I attribute it to grinding and the mouth guard. I've stopped grinding now that the braces are on and I hope and pray that I don't start again!

[mmkay]

balor124: I have not noticed that wearing an occlusal splint has interfered with my breathing, and I do not believe it causes my mandible to slide back, but there are different types of splints (and not all fit well).

I then went to a prosthedontist/bite specialist who built a new mouthguard that was built up in the front to keep the pressure off my back teeth (due to the pain). The result of all of this treatment was an open bite.

It's a known issue that a splint that touches teeth at the front but not the back can cause molars to overerupt, resulting in open bite. When you think about it, this makes sense - it's your body trying to correct the posterior open bite that exists when the splint is being worn.

[AudreyDoy]

I have also heard that there are many side effects of using a nightguard. Have you talked about this to your dentist about this? I think that tge dentist can definitely give some solution to your problem.

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