Bite Adjusment

A bite is considered to be healthy when all or most of the teeth are present and functioning in a harmonious manner.  This means that your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is healthy and when your jaw closes together, all of your teeth touch at the same time.  

A destructive bite can lead to excessive tooth wear, cracked teeth or fillings, sensitive teeth (to cold liquids and sweets), loose teeth, food impaction, jaw muscle pain, jaw joint (TMJ) pain, chronic headaches, accelerated bone loss due to periodontal disease, and tooth loss.  At your initial examination appointment, we will routinely evaluate your bite and its potential influences on your oral health.

Examples of bite therapy may include:

• Reshaping the biting surfaces of the teeth and eliminating spots of excessive pressure when the teeth are brought into contact. This is done by carefully dividing bite pressures evenly across all of the teeth
• Bite splint therapy using a laboratory processed, custom fit, and adjusted acrylic bite guard to keep the teeth apart during the day, night or both
• Braces, to reposition mal-aligned or drifted teeth
• Replacement of old, worn out or damaged fillings
• Reconstruction of badly worn or damaged teeth
• If advanced problems are suspected, we may ask that you undergo a more detailed bite examination at a subsequent visit to more accurately determine your treatment needs.