Braces for buck teeth vs deep bites: did you know they're not the same thing?

“I always thought buck teeth were the main thing braces fixed. Turns out, his main issue was how much his upper teeth overlapped.”

Honestly, I used to think the same way. Buck teeth were all anyone talked about when I was a kid, and my parents just assumed that’s what braces were for. When I finally got mine (in my late 50s, believe it or not), my dentist pointed out I had a deep bite too. Never heard of it before then - I just thought my bottom teeth were "shy" or something because you could barely see them.

Jaw soreness was a surprise for me as well. At first, I chalked up my headaches and stiff neck to getting older, but after a few months of wearing the braces, those symptoms eased up quite a bit. It’s wild how much your bite can affect the rest of your face and even your posture.

I do wonder sometimes if more folks have these bite issues than realize - seems like unless you’re in the chair hearing it from an ortho, nobody talks about it. Makes me wish I'd known sooner.

I totally relate to the “shy” bottom teeth thing - mine were practically hiding behind the curtain for years. I always figured braces were just for straightening, but nope, turns out my bite was a whole circus act. I had headaches and jaw pain too, never put it together until the ortho did his magic and suddenly my jaw stopped clicking every time I yawned. Funny how much we chalk up to “getting older” when it’s really just our teeth being sneaky.

Funny how much we chalk up to “getting older” when it’s really just our teeth being sneaky.

That line hit home, but I have to say, sometimes I wonder if we give braces too much credit for fixing everything. Don’t get me wrong - I had a deep bite and the headaches to match, so I totally get the relief when things finally line up. But after my first round of braces as a teen, my jaw issues didn’t magically disappear. The ortho said it was all sorted, but the clicking and tension just kept coming back.

It wasn’t until I saw a different specialist who focused on TMJ stuff that things actually improved. Turns out, my bite was only part of the story - my posture and some weird nighttime clenching habits were making everything worse. The new doc had me try a night guard and some jaw exercises, which honestly did more for my pain than the braces ever did. Sometimes I think orthodontists are quick to blame the teeth when there’s more going on with muscles or joints.

I’m not saying braces aren’t helpful (they definitely made my smile less “circus act” and more normal), but I wish someone had told me earlier that headaches and jaw pain can have other causes too. It’s easy to get tunnel vision about crooked teeth being the root of all evil, especially when you see dramatic before-and-afters online.

Anyone else feel like their ortho kind of glossed over the difference between fixing how your teeth look vs how your whole bite functions? For me, it took a second opinion to realize that “straight teeth” didn’t equal “healthy bite.” If you’re still having symptoms after braces, maybe it’s worth checking out other possibilities - sometimes those sneaky teeth have accomplices.

I totally relate to this - my ortho focused so much on straightening my teeth, but never really talked about jaw function. I didn’t realize posture or clenching could mess things up too. Makes you wonder how many people are walking around thinking it’s “just the teeth”...

Yeah, I had the same deal. My ortho was all about getting my teeth lined up, but barely mentioned my jaw at all. Years later, I found out my jaw clicks because of how I was clenching all the time - never realized that stuff even mattered. It’s wild how much posture and habits can mess with your bite. Wish I’d known sooner... now I’m stuck googling jaw exercises like a weirdo.

Man, the number of people who end up googling “why does my jaw sound like a bag of popcorn” is wild. You’re definitely not alone there. I see this all the time - folks come in thinking it’s just about getting their teeth looking straight, and then years later their jaw is clicking, popping, or just generally being a nuisance. It’s like, congrats, you’ve unlocked the secret bonus round: TMJ weirdness.

You hit the nail on the head with posture and habits. I know it sounds like something your grandma would say (“Sit up straight or your face will fall off!”), but your jaw and bite are way more connected to stuff like clenching, grinding, and even how you sleep than most people realize. And honestly, some orthodontists get so focused on lining up those pearly whites that the jaw joint gets left out of the conversation. Not saying they’re all like that, but it happens.

I remember a patient who was obsessed with her overbite - she just wanted her front teeth to stop sticking out. Fast forward a few years after braces, and she started getting headaches and clicking when she chewed gum. Turns out, her bite was “perfect” by textbook standards, but her jaw was still working overtime because no one ever talked to her about clenching or posture. She got super into yoga for her jaw (yes, that’s a thing), and it actually helped a bit.

Jaw exercises do feel weird at first, but hey, so does flossing when you’re not used to it. If it makes you feel better, half my patients leave with a printout of “weird faces to make in the mirror for jaw pain.” It’s not glamorous, but it beats ignoring it.

One thing I’ll mildly push back on - sometimes people blame braces for everything jaw-related, but deep bites and buck teeth are different beasts. Deep bites especially can mess with your jaw joint if they’re not handled right. But sometimes it’s just years of clenching from stress (thanks, life). Either way, don’t feel weird about trying exercises or looking for answers now. Better late than never… plus, you get to make some truly ridiculous faces in private.

If only they handed out jaw exercise guides along with your retainer case...

That’s wild about the jaw yoga - never heard of that before, but I’d try anything if it saves me another bill. I had braces for an overbite as a teen, and my jaw still pops sometimes. Makes me wonder, does anyone actually get warned about this stuff up front? Like, is there a way to know if your bite fix will mess with your jaw, or is it just luck? I keep thinking if I’d known, maybe I’d have pushed for more info or skipped braces altogether.

Makes me wonder, does anyone actually get warned about this stuff up front? Like, is there a way to know if your bite fix will mess with your jaw, or is it just luck?

Honestly, I never got a heads-up about jaw issues either. Back in the day, they just said “you need braces” and that was that. I had a deep bite fixed and my jaw still clicks when I chew gum too long. I wish they’d been more upfront about possible side effects - maybe things are better now? I’d say if you’re worried, push for answers. Sometimes you’ve gotta be the squeaky wheel, even if it feels awkward.

Sometimes you’ve gotta be the squeaky wheel, even if it feels awkward.

I’m just starting this whole braces thing and I’m already worried I’ll end up with a weird jaw click or something. Is it normal to feel like you’re annoying the ortho with too many questions? I swear, I’m one “what if” away from bringing a spreadsheet to my next appointment...

I totally get the urge to overprepare - honestly, I made a whole Google Doc of questions before my first consult. It’s not weird at all to want details, especially with something as long-term as braces. I’ve noticed jaw clicks can happen sometimes, but usually they settle down. Do you know if your ortho does 3D scans or just impressions? I found the digital stuff helped me visualize what was going on, which made it easier to ask more targeted questions instead of feeling like I was pestering them about every little thing.

It’s not weird at all to want details, especially with something as long-term as braces.

That’s a really solid approach - honestly, the more you know going in, the better you’ll feel about each step. Digital scans are a game-changer for understanding your own case. They let you see exactly how your teeth line up and what needs to move, which is especially useful since deep bites and buck teeth actually require different mechanics. I’ve seen people get confused by that - sometimes they assume it’s just about pushing teeth back, but deep bites often need vertical correction too. If your ortho offers 3D scans, definitely take advantage of it. It’s not pestering at all to ask about the tech they use; it shows you care about your outcome.

They let you see exactly how your teeth line up and what needs to move, which is especially useful since deep bites and buck teeth actually require different mechanics.

That’s interesting, I didn’t realize deep bites needed vertical correction. I’ve only ever heard about “pushing teeth back” so I assumed it was all kind of the same. My ortho mentioned elastics for my overbite - does that mean they’re tackling both directions? I’m a bit anxious about how long the process might take if there are different mechanics involved. Did anyone here have to switch treatment plans once things got started?

- Deep bites definitely aren’t just about “pushing teeth back” - they usually need the teeth to be moved vertically, like opening up the bite so your top teeth don’t cover the lowers too much.
- Elastics can work both ways, depending on how they’re hooked up. For my overbite, I had to wear them in a triangle pattern, which helped shift things both forward and down.
- It’s pretty common for plans to change a bit once teeth start moving. My ortho tweaked things halfway through when my bite shifted more than expected... wasn’t a big deal, just meant a couple extra months.
- Try not to stress about timelines - everyone’s teeth move at their own pace, and small adjustments along the way are normal.

That’s interesting about the elastics - I never realized the triangle pattern could help with both directions. My kid’s ortho mentioned “vertical correction” for her deep bite, but I didn’t totally get what that meant until now.

“It’s pretty common for plans to change a bit once teeth start moving.”

We’ve definitely had to adjust things as my daughter’s teeth started shifting. At first, she was just using the little rubber bands in one spot, but then the ortho switched her to a different pattern. I worried it meant something was off too, but apparently it’s all part of the process. Did your kid find the new elastics harder to get used to? Mine complained they felt weird at first, but now it’s just routine for her.

I’m kind of curious about how the ortho decides when to change the elastic pattern. Is it based on how fast the teeth are moving, or do they just have a set schedule for these adjustments? My nephew’s got braces for an overbite and he mentioned his elastics switched from a triangle to a box pattern, which confused him (and me). Do you know if the type of bite - like buck teeth vs deep bite - affects what kind of elastic setup they use?

Do you know if the type of bite - like buck teeth vs deep bite - affects what kind of elastic setup they use?

My ortho switched my elastics every other visit, and honestly, I never quite knew why. Sometimes it was triangles, then suddenly “let’s try a box.” I asked once and he just grinned and said, “depends on how your teeth are behaving.” My overbite got the triangle setup for a while, but my cousin had a deep bite and her elastics were totally different. Guess it’s really a case-by-case thing... teeth have minds of their own, apparently.

Haha, I swear my teeth were stubborn too - one week it was triangles, then suddenly “let’s go for a box.” I used to wonder if my ortho just liked keeping me on my toes. Did your cousin’s setup look super intense? Deep bites always seemed trickier to me.

My cousin’s deep bite setup looked wild - like, more metal than teeth at one point. I get anxious just thinking about all those elastics. My ortho keeps promising mine won’t be as intense, but I’m still bracing myself (pun intended). Deep bites do seem like a whole different level...

My kid’s ortho mentioned deep bites can need more hardware, especially if the teeth are really overlapping. It looked overwhelming to me at first, but they actually broke it down step by step - first some spacers, then the brackets, and later those elastics you mentioned. Each stage felt manageable on its own. Did your cousin have to wear a bite plate or anything like that? That’s something our doc brought up as a possibility, but we haven’t needed it yet.