Anterior open bite
The front teeth do not overlap; there is a visible gap between upper and lower incisors when you bite. Biting into a sandwich or noodles with the front teeth is often difficult, and some people lisp on the 's' sound.
Vertical bite correction
Open Bite Correction in Dubai
When the front teeth do not meet, the cause may be a habit, the tongue or the way the jaws grew. Finding which one decides the treatment and how well the result holds.
- Treated by specialist orthodontists
- Habit, tongue and jaw causes assessed
- Long-term retention plan
The first visit is an examination with a specialist orthodontist, records and an explanation of what is keeping your teeth apart.
Cause firstHabits, tongue posture and jaw growth are checked before an appliance is chosen.
Quick answer
How is an open bite corrected?
Open bite correction starts by finding why the teeth do not meet. At Creative Arts in Dubai, a specialist orthodontist checks for habits such as thumb-sucking, the tongue's resting position and swallowing pattern, breathing, and how the jaws grew. Dental open bites are usually closed with fixed braces or clear aligners, often with elastics or temporary anchorage devices; a marked skeletal open bite in an adult may need orthodontics combined with jaw surgery. Long-term retainers help limit relapse.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
What it is
What does an open bite look like?
In an open bite, some upper and lower teeth stay apart when the back teeth close. Where the gap sits, and when it appeared, already says a lot about the cause.
Posterior (lateral) open bite
Some back teeth on one or both sides do not touch. It is less common and can come from a tongue resting between the side teeth or from teeth that have not fully erupted.
Dental or skeletal
In a dental open bite the jaws are well proportioned and the teeth have been held apart. In a skeletal open bite the back of the jaws grew taller, so the lower jaw rotates down and open, often with a long lower face.
An open bite that is new in adulthood
If the front teeth used to meet and now do not, the jaw joints are examined before anything else, because changes in the joint can shorten the back of the lower jaw and open the bite.
At a glance
Open bite correction at Creative Arts in brief
- Who treats it
- Specialist orthodontists Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz and Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko
- What is assessed
- Habits, tongue posture and swallowing, lip seal, nasal breathing, jaw growth pattern and jaw joints
- Records
- Photographs, a 3D intraoral scan, and panoramic and cephalometric X-rays where the diagnosis needs them
- Appliances
- Fixed braces or Invisalign, with elastics or temporary anchorage devices when needed
- Typical length
- Orthodontics alone often 12–24 months; a pathway that includes jaw surgery takes longer
- Retention
- Long-term retainers, often a bonded wire plus a removable retainer
- Where
- 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3 · open daily 10:00–20:00
Timelines are typical ranges, not promises; your written plan gives an estimate for your own case.
Causes
What causes an open bite, and how does each cause change treatment?
Many open bites have more than one cause. Treating the teeth without dealing with what pushed them apart is the most common reason the bite reopens.
| Cause | What happens | What it means for treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Thumb, finger or dummy sucking | The digit holds the front teeth apart and can narrow the upper arch | In young children the bite often improves once the habit stops; orthodontics while the habit continues tends to relapse |
| Tongue thrust or low tongue posture | The tongue rests or pushes between the front teeth when swallowing or speaking | Teeth can be moved, but the tongue can push them back, so tongue posture advice and long-term retention matter |
| Mouth breathing | A blocked nose or enlarged adenoids or tonsils encourage an open-mouth posture and a low tongue | The breathing cause is checked by a GP or ENT doctor; orthodontics does not treat the airway |
| Vertical jaw growth | The back of the jaws grows taller, rotating the lower jaw down; lips often strain to close | Mild: move the back teeth up with anchorage screws. Marked, in adults: orthodontics with jaw surgery |
| Jaw joint changes | Rarely, changes in the jaw joint shorten the back of the lower jaw and open the bite in adulthood | The joint is examined first, and the bite is treated only once the joint is stable |
See how open bite compares with deep bite, underbite and crossbite on our bite problems page.
The assessment
Why the tongue, breathing and jaw joints are checked in an open bite
An open bite assessment looks beyond the teeth, because the forces that keep them apart are usually still working.
- Swallowing and speech: the specialist watches where the tongue sits at rest and whether it pushes forward between the teeth when you swallow or say 's' and 't'.
- Lips and breathing: lips that do not close at rest, or habitual breathing through the mouth, are noted; a blocked nose may need a doctor's opinion first.
- Growth pattern: the cephalometric X-ray measures the height of the face and the angle of the lower jaw, which separates a dental from a skeletal open bite.
- Jaw joints: clicking, pain, limited opening or a bite that has changed recently lead to a TMJ assessment.
Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko has a particular focus on TMJ and jaw function, which matters when an open bite develops in an adult rather than in childhood.
Treatment options
Which treatments can close an open bite?
Listed from least to most involved. Plans often combine them, and not every option suits every open bite.
Stopping the habit
For a child who still sucks a thumb or finger, stopping is the first step, and many mild open bites in young children improve on their own afterwards. The early orthodontic assessment explains when monitoring is enough.
Fixed braces with elastics
Fixed braces level the teeth, and small elastics worn between upper and lower teeth help bring the front teeth together. Brackets give precise control when roots must be moved.
Clear aligners for selected cases
Invisalign trays cover the back teeth and can help close some dental open bites, provided they are worn 20–22 hours a day; see aligner wear time.
Temporary anchorage devices
Small anchorage screws placed in the bone give a fixed point to move the back teeth upwards, letting the lower jaw close further. This can correct some milder skeletal open bites without surgery.
Orthodontics with jaw surgery
For a marked skeletal open bite in an adult, braces prepare the teeth and the jaw is repositioned surgically, assessed by Dr. Firas Osman. The phases are explained under surgical orthodontics.
Keeping the result
Why open bites tend to relapse, and how retention is planned
Open bites are among the bite problems most likely to partly reopen after treatment. The usual reasons are a tongue that keeps resting between the teeth, front teeth that were pulled down drifting back, and vertical jaw growth that continues into the late teens.
The plan deals with these from the start:
- Cause before appliance: a sucking habit should have stopped before active treatment, and tongue posture is explained and practised.
- Moving the right teeth: where it suits the case, moving the back teeth up is preferred over pulling the front teeth down, because it tends to hold better.
- Retention for the long term: often a bonded wire behind the front teeth plus a removable retainer worn at night, with reviews to catch early change.
A small reopening can often be managed with a short course of aligners or a new retainer, so reviews continue after the braces come off.
Children: when does a thumb-sucking open bite need an orthodontist?
A small open bite in a pre-school child who still sucks a thumb is common. If the habit continues once the adult front teeth arrive, or the gap is large, an orthodontic assessment around age seven is worthwhile. Most children are monitored; the specialist explains whether any early step could help and what it cannot do.
Who treats you
Who treats open bites at Creative Arts
Our two specialist orthodontists diagnose the cause and carry out the treatment. Where the jaws themselves need repositioning, the plan is made with Dr. Firas Osman, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Can an open bite be fixed without surgery?
Usually, yes. Dental open bites, and many milder skeletal ones, are closed with braces or aligners, often with elastics, and sometimes with anchorage screws that move the back teeth up. Surgery is discussed for adults whose jaws are clearly out of proportion, where moving teeth alone would leave the bite unstable or the face unbalanced.
Can Invisalign correct an open bite?
In selected cases. Aligners cover the back teeth, which can help close a dental open bite, and attachments and elastics add control. They only work when worn 20–22 hours a day, and open bites caused by a tongue habit or by jaw growth need that cause addressed as well. The specialist tells you whether aligners suit your open bite.
Will my child's open bite close once they stop thumb-sucking?
Often, if the habit stops early and the open bite is mild, the front teeth gradually come together as they erupt further. If the gap stays once the adult front teeth are in, or the tongue has started to push forward, an orthodontic assessment helps decide whether to monitor or plan treatment later.
Can a tongue thrust make an open bite come back after braces?
Yes, a tongue that keeps resting or pushing between the front teeth is one of the main reasons an open bite reopens. This is why tongue posture is assessed before treatment, advice and exercises may be given, and retention is planned for the long term, often with a bonded retainer behind the front teeth.
How long does open bite correction take?
Orthodontic treatment for an open bite commonly takes 12–24 months, depending on the cause, how far the teeth must move and whether anchorage screws or elastics are used. A pathway that includes jaw surgery is longer, because braces are worn before and after the operation. Retainers continue after that.
Can veneers or bonding close an open bite?
Lengthening the front teeth with veneers or bonding can hide a very small gap between the edges, but it does not change why the teeth are apart, and ceramic edges under tongue pressure or in a skeletal open bite are prone to problems. Restorative work is usually considered after orthodontics, for example to rebuild short or worn edges.
Why has an open bite appeared in adulthood?
A bite that used to close and now does not needs an examination rather than straightening alone. Possible causes include a new tongue habit, teeth drifting after gum disease or tooth loss, and, less often, changes in a jaw joint. The jaw joints are checked first, and orthodontic treatment waits until the cause is understood and stable.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
Jaw surgerySurgical orthodonticsBraces combined with corrective jaw surgery, phase by phase.ConditionBite problems explainedOpen bite, deep bite, underbite and crossbite compared.BiteUnderbite correctionDental or skeletal underbite, and when surgery is discussed.ChildrenOrthodontic assessment for childrenWhat the check around age seven looks for.RetentionRetainers after orthodonticsBonded and removable retainers, and how long to wear them.
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- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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