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Dentist Disaster

Crooked teeth & bite

Open bite

Routine3 treatment options

When the front or side teeth do not meet even with the back teeth closed. Common causes, including habits, and what can be done.

How urgent is it? Routine

Not an emergency. Ask your dentist for an orthodontic opinion, especially if a child has an ongoing sucking habit.

What it is

An open bite means there is a gap between the upper and lower teeth even when the back teeth are together. The most familiar type is an anterior open bite, where the front teeth do not overlap at all, so biting into something like a sandwich can be difficult.

Cochrane reviewers describe several possible causes, including thumb or dummy sucking, mouth breathing and the way the jaws grow. An open bite can affect speech, swallowing, chewing and appearance.

Treatment depends on the cause. Stopping a sucking habit early can make a difference in young children, while other cases need braces and, occasionally in adults, jaw surgery. The research evidence on which appliances work best for children is weak, so an individual assessment matters.

Signs and causes

Common signs

  • Front teeth that do not touch when the back teeth are closed
  • Difficulty biting through food with the front teeth
  • A lisp or other speech differences
  • The tongue pushing forward between the teeth when swallowing

Usual causes

  • Prolonged thumb, finger or dummy sucking
  • Mouth breathing, sometimes linked to enlarged tonsils or adenoids
  • The pattern in which the jaws have grown

Ways to fix it

The options a dentist may discuss with you, and when each one tends to be used. Which one suits you depends on an examination.

  1. Metal braces

    The usual option for open bites caused by tooth position; also used before and after jaw surgery in severe adult cases.

    Sometimes on the NHSOrthodontics

  2. Clear aligners

    Some mild open bites in adults, after a full orthodontic assessment.

    Usually private onlyOrthodontics

  3. Retainers

    Essential after treatment, as open bites can reopen.

    Sometimes on the NHSOrthodontics

What you can do now

  • Gently encourage children to give up thumb, finger or dummy sucking
  • Mention any snoring or constant mouth breathing in a child to your GP or dentist

Preventing it

  • An NHS England orthodontic guide advises encouraging children to stop thumb, finger or dummy sucking before around age 5

Common questions

Can thumb sucking cause an open bite?

Sucking habits are one of the recognised causes of an anterior open bite, which is why dentists encourage children to stop them early.

Is there good evidence for open bite treatments in children?

Not yet. A Cochrane review found only weak evidence that some appliances correct open bite in children and said more high-quality trials are needed.

Can I get braces on the NHS?

Children and teenagers under 18 can be assessed for NHS orthodontic treatment, and it is provided free when their need scores highly enough on a standard index called the IOTN. Adults usually pay privately, although NHS treatment is possible in some complex cases, such as when jaw surgery is needed through a hospital service.

Products that may help at home

These support good daily care; they don’t replace treatment from a dentist. Some links may be affiliate links.

OPRO Gold mouthguard for braces

A self-fit sports mouthguard shaped to sit over fixed braces. Braces can change fit over time, so check with your orthodontist –…

Features & who it suits

TePe Bridge & Implant Floss

Pre-cut spongy floss with stiff ends that thread under wires, bridges and around implants – handy for anyone with fixed braces.

Features & who it suits

Sources we used

Checked September 2026. Guidance changes, so always follow the advice of your own dental team. About our sources.