If your front or back teeth cannot be brought into contact with the opposing teeth when the other teeth are biting together, you have an open bite. This can be the result of abnormal skeletal development or a frequently repeated habit such as finger or lip sucking, or tongue thrusting. Possible problems resulting from an open bite include the inability to properly bite or chew your food which can lead to difficulty in proper digestion, improper lip closure which creates difficulty with swallowing, speech, and red swollen gums due to chronic air exposure.