Wearing braces isn’t comfortable for anyone. Especially, before getting braces, you get more worried about how would you carry those metal braces. So, if you notice, you have the only orthodontic problems in upper teeth, you ask, can you get braces on top tooth only?
Getting braces only on top teeth to straightened them or close the gaps isn’t so common. In fact, forcefully, wearing braces only on upper teeth can cause serious problems. However, there are some minor misaligned cases where you can get single upper arch braces. But, it may not be for the full treatment period.
In this article, we will discuss when you can or can’t go for braces treatment on only top teeth and what are the reasons for that.
When do you want braces on top teeth only?
You may want to get braces on the top teeth only in the following situation:
1. Overbite only on top teeth
A common orthodontic problem is an overbite, which means your upper teeth placed more forward than usual. Your lower teeth may seem normal to you and that’s why you want braces only on top teeth.
2. Minor or no visible abnormality on lower teeth
When you see you have minor tooth misalignment on lower teeth, you don’t want to get braces on bottom teeth. In some cases, you might think you have problems only on top teeth and bottom teeth are completely fine. But, your orthodontist can find a hidden problem by analyzing your case.
3. Normal and nicely aligned lower teeth
In some cases, lower teeth are straight and normally aligned, while you have orthodontic problems like crooked or crowded teeth on the upper jaw. So, you wish to get braces only on top teeth.
4. One or two misaligned teeth on the upper jaw only
When there is no problem with teeth of both jaw except one or two tooth misaligned top teeth, you want to correct that problem with braces only on the upper jaw.
5. Lower teeth not being visible during smile
Usually, someone can’t notice your lower teeth when you talk or smile. So, if it doesn’t affect your appearance, you wouldn’t like to wear braces on bottom teeth and go for braces only on top teeth.
6. Saving the cost
As orthodontic treatment needs a lot of money, you may want to cut the cost in half. So, you think about getting braces only on upper teeth, if it’s possible.
When do you get braces on top teeth only?
Getting braces only on one arch is called a single arch orthodontic treatment. You may have got the idea of wearing braces only on top teeth by looking at one of your friends.
- In this treatment, orthodontics put braces on the top teeth jaw at first. But, after the correction of the upper jaw, he or she attaches braces to your lower jaw.
- That means it’s not that you will get rid of wearing braces on your both jaws. But, is there any chance?
- There are quite rare circumstances, where you may wear braces only on upper teeth concerning your economic status, types of cases, and other issues.
Case 1
When you have straight lower teeth, a very little overbite in upper front teeth, and sufficient space in the upper jaw, you may get braces on the top teeth only.
In this case, if you wear braces only on upper teeth, overbite and spacing get corrected at the same time as teeth move backward.
Since lower teeth are straight, the overbite problem can turn into a normal bite after the treatment. But, it’s not always possible.
Case 2
When you have a small gap between upper front teeth with a mild open bite and there is no other abnormality, you may get braces only on the upper jaw.
But, it doesn’t work well all time. If you have spaces between more teeth or have other issues, wearing braces only on the upper arch isn’t going to help you.
Case 3
Another situation is when your upper teeth are crowded and lower teeth are in front of upper teeth.
Treating the top teeth will move them in front of the bottom teeth and may correct the bite as well without touching the lower teeth.
Case 4
If you have a mildly misaligned tooth on upper jaw such as one tooth is out of the arch or normal position in the jaw, you may get braces on top teeth only.
However, this rarely happens. When one or two teeth are abnormally placed in the jaw, which we call a crossbite, you can’t be corrected only with one arch braces, usually.
Actually, these are very rare situations. Even though we mention this here, it’s best to get graces on both jaws in these cases. You may wonder why? Let’s find it out.
When can’t you get braces on top teeth only?
In most of the cases, you can’t get braces only on top teeth. Here are the cases when you can’t get braces on top teeth only:
1. Bite problems
Some people have both tooth misalignment and bite errors which need to be corrected, while some need to correct the bite so that it doesn’t give you bite problems after the treatment.
But, why the bite is so important in orthodontic treatment. Your teeth of both jaws make contact with each other maintaining a relationship.
During orthodontic treatment, we must establish this relationship or you will develop serious problems later.
When we move teeth from their old position to a new position, this relationship gets changed. So, we have to move lower teeth to get the perfect relationship.
In those cases, when the bite is the prime concern we must use braces on both jaws.
2. Crossbite cases
This is the condition when one or more tooth is badly placed in the jaw. A tooth may be placed out of the arch or facing outward or inward.
When you have this problem in upper teeth, we can’t use braces only on top teeth. This causes more problems if you have this problem with molar teeth.
Moreover, the patient doesn’t have only this problem solely. They may present with the abnormally positioned jawbone. We have to use braces on both jaws in those cases.
3. Excessive overbite
Overbite is the circumstance when your upper teeth are more forwardly positioned than the lower, which isn’t normal.
Excess overbite needs to be corrected with braces on both jaws. This is a more critical problem than you think of.
Even if we use braces only on upper teeth and they become straight, you will end up having a bite problem. This will make the situation worst.
In this case, upper and lower teeth can’t make a perfect bite. It’ll look bad and you can’t take a bite of food.
In addition, to bring the upper teeth backward, we need to create space. Because of that, we may extract the teeth of the upper jaw.
When we repositioned upper teeth, they can’t maintain the perfect relation with lower teeth. These lead to biting problems, pain, and TMJ issues.
4. Problem with the jaw bone
All orthodontic problems aren’t related to teeth only. These may be a result of abnormal growth of jaw bone.
In certain cases, you have an overbite or misaligned upper teeth because of the big or small-sized jaw bone.
It may seem easy to correct to you, but it can’t be done without braces on both teeth. In some cases, someone may need teeth extraction or surgery.
5. Teeth grinding or tongue thrusting habit
If you have bad oral habits such as tongue thrusting, teeth clenching, or grinding, you need more than braces on only top teeth.
Your upper teeth become protruded because of these habits. So, you need braces on both jaws as well as some habit breaking appliances.
6. Excessive tooth crowding
When your teeth are overcrowded or one tooth overlaps the other tooth, you can’t have braces only on upper teeth. Teeth get crowded because of the lack of space in the jaw.
When we realign them and make them straight, we need to create space and move the teeth forward. This’ll affect your bite and produce an overbite if we don’t use braces on both jaws.
7. Big gaps in between teeth
When you have spaced teeth, we use braces to fix the gaps. When gaps between the teeth of the upper jaw get closed, teeth shift backward from their previous position.
o, you get a forwardly placed lower teeth, when we don’t attach braces on both jaws.
Can you ask an orthodontist to get braces only on top teeth?
Though you have to wear braces on both jaws usually to straighten teeth, you can ask your orthodontist to get braces only on top teeth.
Without wearing braces on both jaws, you won’t get the best result. Consult with your orthodontist.
He or she evaluates the case and do the calculation to make treatment and finally able to give you a beautiful smile. So, don’t get disheartened even if you have to wear a brace on both jaws.
Can you get braces on only upper front teeth?
You can get braces on only 4 or 6 top front teeth to get them straightened depending upon the case.
However, this is very rare and only possible if you have very minor teeth irregularities. Especially, an adult may get these types of braces to fix mild abnormality.
People want this to cut the cost and prevent carrying a lot of braces and it’s components in the mouth.
Cases can be the same as braces for only upper teeth that we mentioned before.
Drawbacks of getting braces only on top teeth
Here are the drawbacks of getting braces only on top teeth:
1. Bite error
Have you ever noticed that your teeth of both jaws maintain a beautiful relation with each other?
Even if your problem with some teeth, other teeth try to maintain the relationship. If we disrupt it, you’ll develop problems like overbite, underbite, crossbite, and others.
Getting braces on upper teeth means, we’ll correct and align only upper jaw and teeth and most of the time we can’t maintain the relationship without realigning the lower jaw.
If we don’t correct this bite, you will develop a lot of problems.
2. Overbite
If you have crowded teeth, we have to move tooth forward make them straight. So, we need to align lower teeth as well to prevent it from happening.
This leads to a perfect contact between the teeth of both jaws. But, if we only straighten your upper teeth, you can’t fix the issue and you will have an overbite problem.
3. Underbite
If you are planning to fix the gaps between upper teeth only, you may develop an underbite. Closing the spacing between upper teeth means we have to move the teeth backward.
If we don’t make an adjustment by placing braces on lower teeth, upper teeth will be placed backward than lower teeth abnormally, that’s called an underbite.
2. Altering smile
Treating with braces on only top teeth can alter the smile that makes you look bad.
3. Creating a new orthodontic problem
Braces treatment shift your teeth as well as jaw bone to a new position. In some situations, wearing braces on only the upper jaw can make cause new orthodontic problems. This makes the situation even worse.
4. Early bite and Openbite
Abnormal relationships between both jaw due to treatment only on upper teeth can give you an open-bite.
That means when you clench your teeth, your teeth of both jaws make contact early. So, a gap remains between upper and lower teeth. This can happen in front as well as back teeth.
5. Developing bad oral habits
Teeth, jawbone, tongue, and lips work together to maintain balance and give different oral habits. Getting orthodontic treatment only on upper teeth can alter the habits.
So, you may develop a habit such as tongue thrusting, teeth clenching, or grinding that didn’t exist before the treatment.
6. Chewing difficulty
You may think that you can chew foods nicely as long as you have your teeth in your jaw. But, that’s not so simple.
If upper and lower teeth don’t maintain a proper relationship with each other, you’ll face difficulty to chew foods.
Gradually, we’ll develop pain and other problems as well. This happens when you get braces only on top teeth when you shouldn’t.
7. TMJ pain
Because of the bite error from wearing braces on only upper teeth, you develop TMJ and other problems with it.
Over time, you may experience a problem with opening the mouth, or you say you have a limitation in mouth opening.
Alternative ways
If you are worried about braces and it’s appearance, you may consider getting invisible braces, clear aligners, or Invisalign. People can’t notice easily while you are wearing those. If you get Invisalign, you may feel more comfortable even if you have to wear it in both jaws.
Takeaways
Most of the time, you don’t get braces only on top teeth except one or two rare circumstances. But, to get the best treatment outcome you should cooperate with your orthodontist and follow whatever he or she plans for better treatment outcomes.
