Deep occlusion is defined as which of the following?

Deep occlusion is defined as which of the following?

• A. Disorder of growth and development of the jaws and dento-alveolar processes, characterized by a high degree of coverage of the incisors
• B. A vertical anomaly characterized by absence of covering of the front teeth with the lateral dental arches in contact
• C. Deficit of embryogenesis of the dento-maxillary apparatus with severe consequences on its growth and development
• D. Syndrome characterized by reduced molar and premolar diameters

Answer: (A)

Deep occlusion means an excessive vertical overlap of the front teeth—the upper incisors cover the lower incisors more than normal. That is exactly described by saying there is a high degree of coverage of the incisors, i.e., a deep overbite. The other statements describe different scenarios: an open bite has little or no vertical overlap and thus is the opposite of deep occlusion; a general embryologic dento-maxillary deficit refers to broader developmental problems rather than the bite pattern itself; and reduced molar/premolar diameters describe tooth size changes that don’t define the vertical overlap of the incisors.

Deep occlusion means an excessive vertical overlap of the front teeth—the upper incisors cover the lower incisors more than normal. That is exactly described by saying there is a high degree of coverage of the incisors, i.e., a deep overbite. The other statements describe different scenarios: an open bite has little or no vertical overlap and thus is the opposite of deep occlusion; a general embryologic dento-maxillary deficit refers to broader developmental problems rather than the bite pattern itself; and reduced molar/premolar diameters describe tooth size changes that don’t define the vertical overlap of the incisors.