Can an Open Bite Be Treated Without Tooth Extractions? What Adult Patients Should Know

Sep 3, 2026

If you have an open bite, one of your biggest questions may be whether correcting it means having teeth removed. The good news is that tooth extraction is not automatically necessary for every adult with an open bite. Depending on the cause and severity of your bite, orthodontic treatment may be able to close the gap between your upper and lower teeth without removing permanent teeth.

Understanding your treatment options starts with understanding what is causing the open bite and how your teeth and jaws relate to one another.

What Is an Open Bite?

An anterior open bite occurs when the upper and lower front teeth do not overlap when the mouth is closed. Instead, a noticeable space remains between the teeth, even though the back teeth may come together normally.

For some people, an open bite is primarily a tooth-position issue. For others, the relationship between the upper and lower jaws plays a larger role. Oral habits, tongue positioning, previous orthodontic treatment, and other factors can also contribute to the development or persistence of an open bite.

The condition can affect more than the appearance of your smile. Depending on its severity, an open bite may make biting into foods more difficult and can sometimes affect speech or other aspects of oral function.

Because there are different causes, there is no single open bite treatment that works for every adult.

Does Treating an Open Bite Require Extractions?

Not necessarily. Tooth extraction is one approach orthodontists may use when additional space or a particular type of tooth movement is needed. In some patients, removing teeth allows the remaining teeth to be repositioned in a way that helps close the open bite.

However, orthodontists can also use non-extraction approaches to address certain open bites. Braces, clear aligners, orthodontic elastics, and other techniques can be used to create controlled tooth movement without removing permanent teeth.

Whether this is possible depends on the individual case. An adult with a mild dental open bite may have very different treatment needs from someone with a more significant skeletal open bite.

What Does Recent Research Tell Us?

This question has also been examined in recent orthodontic research. Dr. Michael Vermette was one of the authors of a 2025 study published in The Angle Orthodontist that evaluated treatment outcomes and short-term stability in adults with anterior open bites who were treated with and without extractions.

The study, “Treatment outcomes and short-term stability in adult anterior openbite patients treated with or without extractions,” included 115 adult patients treated with fixed appliances. Of those patients, 82 received non-extraction treatment and 33 received treatment involving extractions. The researchers found that both groups had high rates of successful open bite correction, with no statistically significant difference in treatment success between the groups.

The study also found that more than 90% of patients maintained their open bite correction at the one-year follow-up. Patients who underwent extractions experienced greater retraction and lingual tipping of the incisors, along with greater soft-tissue retraction.

It is important to put these findings into context. The study does not establish that non-extraction treatment is better or that every adult with an open bite can avoid extractions. It does, however, demonstrate that successful correction can occur with or without extractions and reinforces the importance of selecting treatment based on the individual patient.

How Can an Open Bite Be Treated Without Extractions?

Non-extraction orthodontic treatment focuses on moving the teeth into a healthier relationship while preserving the existing teeth. The specific mechanics depend on the nature of the bite.

Traditional braces may be used to gradually reposition teeth and improve the amount of overlap between the upper and lower incisors. In appropriate cases, orthodontic elastics can provide additional force to help guide the bite into a better position.

Clear aligners may also be an option for certain adults. Because the aligners are digitally planned in advance, the orthodontist can map out specific tooth movements throughout treatment. Attachments and other features can provide additional control when needed.

For more complicated cases, an orthodontist may recommend additional techniques to control tooth movement. The goal is not simply to close the visible space but to create a functional bite that is appropriate for the patient’s facial structure and long-term needs.

What Determines Whether You Can Avoid Extractions?

Several factors influence whether an adult is a good candidate for non-extraction treatment.

The severity of the open bite is one consideration. Your orthodontist will also evaluate crowding, spacing, tooth position, jaw relationships, facial proportions, and the amount of movement needed to achieve the desired result.

Your previous orthodontic history can matter as well. If you had braces as a teenager and your bite changed over the years, understanding how that change occurred can help guide treatment planning.

An evaluation may also look at habits or functional factors that could contribute to an open bite. If those factors are not addressed, simply moving the teeth may not provide the long-term stability you want.

Why Stability Matters

Closing an open bite is only part of successful orthodontic treatment. Keeping the teeth in their corrected positions is also important.

Open bites can be challenging because several factors may influence whether the correction remains stable. The 2025 study found that open bite closure was maintained in more than 90% of patients at one year, although the researchers noted that the number of patients experiencing relapse was too small to determine whether there was a definitive difference in stability between extraction and non-extraction treatment.

This is one reason your treatment plan should consider more than whether extractions can be avoided. Your orthodontist needs to determine which approach offers the best balance of function, appearance, tooth position, and stability for your specific bite.

Start Exploring Your Options With Vermette Orthodontics

If you are an adult with an open bite, you do not necessarily need to have teeth extracted to achieve a healthier, more functional bite. At the same time, avoiding extractions should not be the sole objective. The best treatment is the one that appropriately addresses your individual orthodontic needs.

If you’re looking for a Concord orthodontist, Vermette Orthodontics can evaluate your bite, explain your options, and help determine whether non-extraction orthodontic treatment may be appropriate for you. A personalized evaluation is the best way to understand what is possible and what approach can give you a healthy, stable smile.

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