Overbite
The vertical overlap of upper and lower front teeth.
Bite relationship guide
Overbite and underbite are not mirror-image problems
The words are often used loosely. A responsible assessment distinguishes vertical overlap, horizontal projection and lower-jaw position before discussing appliances.
Diagnosis before applianceThis page supports informed questions. It cannot examine you or determine treatment suitability.
The plain answer
An overbite describes vertical overlap; an underbite describes lower teeth positioned ahead of upper teeth in part or all of the bite.
Patients sometimes call prominent upper teeth an ‘overbite,’ but that horizontal relationship is overjet. Deep overbite, large overjet and underbite can have different dental and jaw causes and different treatment windows.
Growth, facial pattern, tooth inclination and functional shifts matter. Mild dental relationships may be treated with braces or aligners in selected cases; significant jaw discrepancies may warrant certified orthodontic specialist and sometimes surgical assessment.
What matters
Key points before you act
Use these as a decision filter at a real consultation.
Overjet
The horizontal distance between upper and lower front teeth.
Underbite
Lower front teeth sit ahead of the uppers, locally or across the arch.
Dental position versus jaw relationship
Teeth can be tipped in a way that disguises or exaggerates the underlying jaw relationship. Moving the teeth may improve the bite within limits, but it does not change every skeletal discrepancy.
The provider should explain whether the goal is dental correction, growth modification, camouflage or jaw surgery. Those are materially different treatment concepts even when the front teeth end in a more normal relationship.
What a bite assessment should document
Important findings may include:
No single photograph, scan or symptom can answer every one of those questions. The treating provider should explain which records are needed, what each record shows and how the findings change the plan.
- vertical overlap, horizontal overjet and front-tooth inclination;
- molar and canine relationships on both sides;
- facial profile, jaw growth direction and symmetry;
- trauma risk, palatal contact, tooth wear and gum effects;
- whether the jaw shifts to find a more comfortable bite.
Timing and appliance choices
In growing patients, timing may influence whether growth-related treatment is considered. In adults, the provider may discuss dental compensation, comprehensive orthodontics or combined orthodontic-surgical care depending on severity and goals.
Clear aligners can manage selected overbite, overjet and mild underbite components, but the marketing category is not the diagnosis. Fixed appliances, elastics and other auxiliaries may provide different control.
The appropriate option can change after an examination. Use this comparison to prepare questions, not to self-prescribe treatment.
What should prompt timely review
Seek assessment when front teeth are at risk of trauma, lower teeth contact the palate, an underbite is appearing during growth, the child shifts the jaw, or the bite is changing noticeably.
During treatment, prescribed elastic wear and appointment attendance can be critical. Report significant jaw pain, appliance breakage or a bite that changes unexpectedly rather than waiting for the next routine visit.
- Use precise words: ask whether the concern is overbite, overjet, underbite or more than one.
- Ask whether the problem is mainly dental, skeletal or functional.
- Clarify the effect of delaying treatment at the patient’s current age.
Questions to take to a consultation
- What exact bite relationship has been diagnosed?
- Is the cause primarily tooth position, jaw position or a functional shift?
- Does growth create a time-sensitive opportunity or risk?
- What can aligners or braces realistically change, and what remains?
- When is specialist or surgical consultation appropriate?
Common questions
Questions patients ask
Is overbite the same as overjet?
No. Overbite is vertical overlap; overjet is horizontal projection.
Can an underbite correct itself?
Some developing bites change, but an underbite or functional shift deserves assessment because timing can matter.
Can Invisalign fix an overbite?
It can treat selected cases, often with attachments or elastics, but suitability depends on the dental and skeletal diagnosis.
Primary references
Sources used for this guide
External sources can change. Verify current regulatory and product information at the linked publisher.
- When should a child see an orthodontist? ↗American Association of Orthodontists
- Dentist licences and recognized specialties in British Columbia ↗British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals
- Search the BCCOHP public registry ↗British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals