What Does It Mean To Have A “Perfect Bite”?

When discussing braces or dental aligners such as Invisalign, you might hear your family orthodontist use the phrase “a perfect bite.” What exactly does that mean? In this article, we review the myths surrounding the perfect smile and explain what your orthodontist actually means by “the perfect bite.”

Don’t Fall For These Smile Myths!

Myth #1:  You should seek to attain a “perfect smile”

Actually, there’s no such thing as “the perfect smile.” It simply doesn’t exist. What DOES exist is the ideal smile as compared to your unique facial structure. The appearance of your smile relies on of a whole host of factors, such as:

• How many teeth do you have?
• How are your teeth shaped?
• How big or small are your teeth?
• What is the shape of your face’s natural bone structure?

Therefore, when your orthodontist refers to the “perfect bite,” he or she is actually talking about the ideal alignment for your teeth based on your own one-of-a-kind facial appearance.

Myth #2:  Your teeth should all be the same length

If your teeth were the same length, your smile would look distorted. In truth, a gently contoured tooth line actually lends a more natural appearance.

Myth #3:  A “perfect bite” means your teeth should be in perfect alignment

Don’t get hung up on the notion that your teeth should be perfectly aligned with each other. Depending on your unique bone structure and tooth shape, that kind of precision may not even be possible. Even more importantly, it’s not even necessarily what you want. Your smile should be unique to you and comparable to no one else’s.

How Will Your Orthodontist Assess Your Smile?

During your initial visit to your orthodontist, he or she will likely evaluate your bite and then make some recommendations about the type of braces you may need. Some of the questions that you and your orthodontist will consider in consultation include:

• Are the midlines of your top and bottom teeth in line with each other?
• Is your smile symmetrical?
• Do your teeth line up in a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing way?
• Do your teeth fit together like gears, or are they butting heads?
• Are your teeth lined up properly, or are they fighting for space?
• Do your top teeth overlap your lower teeth, or do you have an underbite?

The answers to these questions will form the foundation to your orthodontist’s ultimate recommendation about how you should best proceed with your orthodontic treatment.

This information is not meant as medical advice. It is provided solely for educational purposes by Excellence in Orthodontics. To learn more about braces, Invisalign, or other orthodontic treatments, speak with your family’s orthodontist or with one of the highly skilled orthodontic specialists in our national database.