Open bite is a type of orthodontic malocclusion which has been estimated to occur in 0.6% of the people in the United States. This type of malocclusion has no vertical overlap or contact between the anterior incisors. The term "open bite" was coined by Carevelli in 1842. Causes
Open bite malocclusion can happen due to several reasons. It may be genetic in nature, leading to a skeletal open bite or can be caused by functional habits which may lead to dental open bite. In the earlier age, open bite may occur due to a transitional change from primary to the permanent dentition. Some factors that may cause an open bite are:
Tongue thrusting
Thumb sucking
Long-term usage of Pacifier
Macroglossia
Airway obstruction
Adenoid hypertrophy
Nasal concha Hypertrophy

Types
Anterior open bite
An anterior open bite occurs in humans when the front teeth fail to touch and there is no overlap between upper incisors and lower incisors. Anterior open can be caused by functional habits such as digit sucking, tongue thrust or long-term pacifier use. When digit sucking habit is present in the late primary to early mixed dentition stages, it can lead to different side-effects such as upper teeth flaring out, lower teeth flaring in, increase in the open bite and the overjet. A posterior crossbite in these children along with decrease in intercanine and intermolar width is also found. The more intense (longer) the habit, the worse the malocclusion may be.Pacifier use has also shown to cause anterior open bites in children. Pacifier use which lasts longer than 18 months, may cause this malocclusion.
However, with two jaw surgery a relapse leading to bite opening may happen due to condylar remodeling and resorption. Stability and relapse
Surgery vs. non-surgery
Geoffrey Greenlee and others published a meta-analysis in 2011 which concluded that patients with orthognathic surgical correction of open bite had 82% stability in comparison to non-surgical correction of open bite which had 75% of stability after 1or more year of treatment. Both the groups started with 2–3 mm of open bite initially. Molar intrusion
Man-Suk Baek and others evaluated long-term stability of anterior open bite by intrusion of maxillary posterior teeth. Their results showed that the molars were intruded by 2.39 mm during treatment and relapsed back by 0.45 mm or 22.8%. The incisal overbite increased by 5.56 mm during treatment and relapsed back by 1.20 mm or 17%. They concluded that majority of the relapse occurred during first year of treatment. See also
Cephalometric analysis
Intrusion (orthodontics)
Long face syndrome
MEAW Technique
Malocclusion


== References ==