--- title: "Open Bite Treatment UK: Braces, TADs and Surgery" url: https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/open-bite-treatment-uk description: "Braces with box elastics, TADs, or jaw surgery close an open bite in the UK — the right option depends on whether the cause is dental or skeletal." updated: 2026-08-09T00:00:00Z publisher: Virtual Consultant Online --- Open Bite TADs Jaw Surgery Myofunctional # Open Bite Treatment in the UK: Braces, TADs, and Surgery An open bite is when the upper and lower front teeth do not meet when the back teeth are together. It can affect eating, speech, and confidence. Treatment depends on whether the cause is dental, habitual, or skeletal — and whether the patient is still growing. [Start Photo Assessment](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote) [Compare Costs](https://virtualconsultant.online/costs) ## What is an anterior open bite? An anterior open bite describes a situation where the upper and lower front teeth do not make contact when the back teeth are closed together. The gap can be a few millimetres or several centimetres in severe skeletal cases. Unlike an overbite — where the upper teeth cover the lower — an open bite leaves a visible space at the front. It affects the ability to bite into food, can cause a lisp or air escape during speech, and often leads patients to use their tongue to seal the gap, which in turn perpetuates the problem. Open bites that affect only the back teeth (posterior open bite) are less common and usually related to tongue posture or mouth breathing. ## Dental vs skeletal causes Open bites fall into two broad categories. Dental open bites are caused by habits or soft-tissue pressures that have pushed teeth out of position without significantly altering the underlying bone. The most common causes are prolonged thumb or finger sucking beyond age 4 to 5, dummy use past the recommended age, tongue thrusting — where the tongue presses forward against the front teeth during swallowing — and mouth breathing, which alters resting tongue posture. These cases often respond well to orthodontics alone once the habit is addressed. Skeletal open bites arise from a vertical jaw growth pattern where the lower jaw grows in a downward and backward direction, causing the back teeth to come together while the front teeth remain apart. Skeletal open bites in adults typically require surgical correction for the best long-term result. ## Orthodontic treatment — braces and vertical box elastics For dental open bites, fixed braces are the primary treatment. Upper and lower brackets are bonded across the full arch and vertical box elastics — small rubber bands worn in a rectangular pattern between upper and lower front teeth — apply a gentle intrusive and extrusive force to help the teeth close together. Treatment duration is typically 18 to 24 months. Compliance with elastics is critical; wearing them for fewer than 20 hours per day significantly slows progress. Clear aligners can treat mild to moderate dental open bites but require precision attachments and, in more complex cases, may be less predictable than fixed braces. Your orthodontist will advise which approach is more appropriate for your specific open bite depth and cause. ## Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) to intrude posterior teeth Skeletal open bites — particularly in adults — often have excessive eruption of the posterior (back) teeth that tips the lower jaw downward. Temporary anchorage devices, or TADs, are small titanium miniscrews placed directly into the jawbone under local anaesthetic. They act as stable anchor points from which the orthodontist can apply intrusive forces to push the back teeth upward into the bone. As the molars are intruded, the jaws rotate closed and the front teeth begin to meet. TADs have significantly expanded the range of open bites that can be corrected without surgery. The miniscrews are typically 1.5 to 2 mm in diameter and are removed painlessly once treatment is complete. This approach requires careful case selection and regular monitoring. ## Myofunctional therapy for habit correction When tongue thrust, thumb sucking, or abnormal swallowing patterns are contributing to an open bite, orthodontic treatment alone may not be sufficient — the habits will continue to push teeth apart after the braces come off. Myofunctional therapy is a structured programme of exercises to retrain the muscles of the tongue, lips, and face to adopt correct resting posture and swallowing patterns. A trained myofunctional therapist works alongside the orthodontist, typically over 3 to 6 months. Correcting the underlying muscle function before or during orthodontic treatment dramatically reduces the risk of relapse. In children, breaking a thumb-sucking habit early — ideally before age 7 — can allow some self-correction as growth continues. ## Orthognathic surgery for skeletal open bite in adults Adults with a severe skeletal open bite who have finished growing are unlikely to achieve a stable, functional result with orthodontics alone. Orthognathic (jaw) surgery combined with orthodontic treatment is the gold standard for these cases. The surgical procedure most commonly used is a Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy — repositioning the upper jaw upward and sometimes rotating it — often combined with a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy of the lower jaw. Pre-surgical orthodontic preparation decompensates the teeth so the jaws can be moved accurately. Surgery is carried out under general anaesthetic, usually with a one to three night hospital stay. Full recovery takes 6 to 12 weeks; the total treatment span including orthodontics is typically 2 to 3 years. Combined cases are eligible for NHS funding at consultant-level in appropriate cases through the OMFS pathway. ## Useful related pages [Jaw Surgery and Orthodontics UK](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/jaw-surgery-orthodontics-uk) [TADs and Miniscrews in Orthodontics](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/tads-miniscrews-orthodontics-uk) [Tongue Thrust and Orthodontics](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/tongue-thrust-orthodontics-uk) [Orthodontic Relapse UK](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/orthodontic-relapse) [After Braces UK](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/after-braces-uk) This guide is for general information only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for advice from a registered dentist or orthodontist. ### Compare next steps [Orthodontist Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations/orthodontic-treatment-near-me) [Clear Aligners Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/treatments/clear-aligners-near-me) [Invisalign Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations/invisalign-provider-near-me) [Browse Locations](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations) ### Ready for a clearer starting point? Upload guided photos and receive an indication of likely treatment options and pricing before booking appointments. [Get an Online Quote](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote) ### Frequently Asked Questions Can braces fix an open bite without surgery? Yes — dental open bites and mild skeletal open bites in growing patients can often be corrected with braces and vertical box elastics, sometimes with the addition of TADs to intrude posterior teeth. Severe skeletal open bites in adults who have finished growing usually require orthognathic surgery for a stable, lasting result. What is the relapse risk after open bite treatment? Open bite has one of the higher relapse rates among orthodontic problems, particularly if a tongue thrust or other habit persists. Retainers — usually bonded lower retainers and removable upper retainers worn nightly — are essential. Myofunctional therapy to address tongue posture significantly reduces the risk of relapse. Does open bite qualify for NHS treatment? Severe anterior open bites that significantly affect function — eating, speech, or dental trauma — can qualify for NHS treatment in under-18s with a high IOTN score, or through the OMFS pathway for adults requiring surgical correction. Mild dental open bites are more likely to be borderline for NHS eligibility and may require private treatment. How long does open bite treatment take? Braces alone typically take 18 to 24 months to close a dental open bite, which is somewhat longer than a straightforward alignment case because vertical movements are slower and less predictable than tipping teeth sideways. Cases combining orthodontics with jaw surgery usually run 2 to 3 years in total, made up of a pre-surgical phase to level and align the arches, the operation, recovery, and post-surgical finishing to settle the bite. Where a tongue thrust habit is contributing, myofunctional therapy runs alongside treatment and can add to the overall timescale, as can the extended retention that open bites need. What causes open bite in adults? In adults, open bite is most commonly skeletal — related to vertical jaw growth patterns — or the result of a long-standing tongue thrust habit. Thumb sucking in childhood that was not corrected, and extended dummy use, can also produce open bites that persist into adulthood if left untreated. Can TADs alone fix an open bite? TADs can significantly improve or fully correct mild to moderate open bites caused by over-erupted posterior teeth by intruding the molars and allowing the jaws to rotate closed. In severe skeletal cases, TADs reduce the degree of surgical correction needed but may not eliminate the need for surgery entirely. Will an open bite affect my speech? Yes. An anterior open bite commonly causes a lisp, air escape through the front teeth during speech, and difficulty with sounds that require tongue-to-tooth contact such as 's', 'z', and 'th'. Successful treatment usually improves speech, though long-standing compensatory patterns may need input from a speech and language therapist alongside orthodontic correction. Explore your options Quick links Not sure where to start? Use these quick links to explore orthodontic treatments, typical costs, and helpful guides that explain what different options involve. 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Upload guided photos and get a tailored recommendation for your teeth and bite. [Start Photo Assessment](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote) [Find an Orthodontist](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations) Citation details Title Open Bite Treatment UK: Braces, TADs and Surgery Publisher Virtual Consultant Online Published 2026-05-22 Updated 2026-08-09 URL [https://staging.virtualconsultant.online/guides/open-bite-treatment-uk](https://staging.virtualconsultant.online/guides/open-bite-treatment-uk)