Malocclusion for Dummies

Hey there! So, "malocclusion" is a big word that we use to talk about the way someone's teeth don't line up quite right when they bite down. It's kind of like when you're trying to put a puzzle together and the pieces just don't fit perfectly.

Imagine your top and bottom teeth are supposed to fit together like two sides of a zipper. When they don't line up properly, it can cause problems like difficulty chewing, speech issues, or even pain in your jaw.

There are actually different types of malocclusion, like overcrowding, overbite, underbite, and crossbite. Overcrowding is like trying to fit too many toys into a small box, while an overbite is when your top teeth stick out too far. An underbite is the opposite, where your bottom teeth are in front of your top teeth. And a crossbite is when your top teeth fit inside your bottom teeth instead of the other way around.

So, when we talk about malocclusion, we're really just talking about how your teeth fit together, and how that might cause problems for you. I hope that explanation makes sense to you! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.