Correcting Bad Bites
Bad bites, TMJ, Bruxism, Broken Teeth, Equilibration
Bad bites cause big problems in the mouth. Teeth have a certain way they should hit together and when they don’t come together properly it can lead many health related problems. At Smile Stylist, Dr. Jason DMD, Accredited cosmetic dentist with the AACD and Clinical mentor with Gold Dust Clinical Mastery where he teaches Occlusion, Smile Design and Full Mouth Rehabilitation dentistry, can properly diagnose, analyze and treat patients who are suffering from having a bad bite. Millions of people suffer from frequent headaches and migraines. Little do they know, that many times this pain is an symptom for the underlying condition of a poor bite. Teeth wearing out? Noticing chips on the biting edges of your teeth? Gums receding and exposing sensitive root surfaces? Are your teeth getting smaller, flatter or breaking teeth? These are all only some of the symptoms of having teeth that do not come together properly. Dr. Olitsky can properly diagnose a bite problem and treat it with a systematic approach that is conservative and predictable.
Equilibration is a fancy word in dentistry that means adjusting your teeth to create a better bite. There are many ways to equilibrate a patient, but the end result is to allow for the teeth to come together with the muscles we use around the mouth relaxed and with the TMJ in its anatomically correct position. Teeth dictate position of the TMJ and contraction or relaxation of the muscles of mastication. When all the teeth do not come together at the same time with equal forces on each tooth, or do not function properly while eating or grinding do to poor positions, the end result is TMJ strain and muscle pain. Dr. Olitsky begins bite adjustments by taking clinical photos, detailed impressions of the teeth and a deprogrammed bite. A deprogrammed bite is special way to record the way the teeth come together with the TMJ in its most anatomically stable position and the muscles relaxed. On a chewing simulator, models of the patients teeth are allowed to touch and small discrepancies in the bite are recorded and mapped, then the information is taken back to the patient where informed decisions can be made to help build a better bite.
To correct bite problems, often times only small adjustments are made to strategic areas of teeth with polishing instruments, sometimes areas need to be added using conservative treatment modalities; such as bonding and veneers, while other times teeth need to be moved into position with Invisalign or braces.
Considering cosmetic dentistry, then make sure that your bite is analyzed for potential problems that can occur when getting a smile makeover. The concerns a patient has with their natural teeth are often times symptoms of a bad bite and getting veneers to correct the concerns may not correct their bad bite. This may lead to future problems with the cosmetic dentistry. Having a smart chewing system means that the back teeth and the front teeth work together properly. Eating with worn down, chipped and broken back teeth is like trying to cut through a steak with the flat of a spoon. It takes more force to eat. That force is placed on the teeth every day when eating with teeth that are worn out from a bad bite. Teeth that are anatomically correct are sharper and built to cut through food with less force. If the back teeth are chewing like spoons and front teeth, treated with cosmetic dentistry, are chewing like knives, then end result is a system set up for failure. The back teeth are dictating more force on the new cosmetic dentistry. Planning cosmetic dentistry that is esthetically driven and functionally finished means that Dr. Jason will take into account all your cosmetic desires, while being sure to finish your new smile makeover with improvements to the bite that will create a healthier TMJ, muscle and teeth chewing system.
Watch this video to learn more about how Dr. Olitsky preforms equilibration treatments at Smile Stylist International, Florida USA.