Some of the characteristics of a dental open bite include:
Normal lower anterior facial height
Horizontal/Hypodivergent growth pattern
Occlusal plane diverges after the premolar contact
Under-eruption of the anterior incisors
Over-eruption of the posterior molars
Proclined upper and lower incisors
No vertical maxillary excess or gummy smile
Presence of habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting
Spacing between anterior incisors due to their proclination

Open bite correction
Primary/mixed dentition
Behavior modification
Behavior therapy is important especially when children are in their primary dentition in the pre-adolescent age. Improving habits at this time may lead to self-correction of open bite in many cases. Sometimes presence of infantile swallowing into early childhood may lead to an anterior open bite. Habit control through appliances such as Tongue crib or Tongue spurs may be used in adolescents if behavior modification fails to stop the habit. Tongue crib therapy
A tongue crib is a removable appliance placed in the maxillary arch to stop the tongue thrusting habit. This appliance may be used in patients with mixed dentition or permanent dentition. The tongue crib is attached through a bar to two bands placed on the upper 1st molars. The crib is shaped like a horseshoe with metal bars that prevent thrusting. The tongue crib eliminates the habit in approximately 90% of patients. . Huang et al. published a study in 1990 which stated that patients who achieved a positive overbite during their tongue crib therapy had a good chance of maintaining that overbite after their orthodontic treatment.
It is shown that as long as the sucking habit stops before the eruption of permanent teeth, the open bite self-corrects. In some cases, behavior modification may be necessary to eliminate the dental habits. If all else fails, then a tongue crib can be used. Posterior open bite
Posterior open bite is caused when posterior teeth such as molars or premolars fail to touch their counterpart tooth. This is more likely to occur in segments where there may be unilateral open bite or open bite related to one or more teeth. Failure of eruption of teeth either due to primary failure or mechanical obstruction during eruption phase can cause the open bite. Sometimes lateral tongue thrust may also prevent the eruption of the posterior teeth, thus eliminating this habit maybe key to eruption in those instances. Skeletal open bite
Patient with skeletal open bites that accompany dental open bites may have Adenoid faces or Long face syndrome.