Thank you for your question. To correct what is commonly termed as an "overbite", the increased distance between the upper front teeth and lower front teeth, space is needed to bring the upper teeth inwards. Interproximal reduction is a procedure where small spaces are created by shaving the sides of your teeth to create space. This is safe procedure as only a small amount of shaving is done and there is no evidence that there would be any detrimental effects to the teeth after it has been done. However because only a small amount can be shaved,this also means that the space created is small.If the distance between the upper and lower front teeth is small, and the overbite is not that severe, interproximal reduction can be an effective treatment method.
It is best to discuss with your dentist/orthodontist about all your options of correcting your overbite if you are not comfortable with shaving your front teeth.
Hope this helps and all the very best,
Dr Priscilla Lu
Orthodontist
