Occlusion- The Most Mysterious Oral Affliction

Occlusion is the single most fascinating subject pertaining to dentistry. Like dental decay and gum disease, malocclusion leads to premature tooth loss and a myriad of other dental maladies. In the simplest terms, occlusion is how the teeth meet. But, there is an entire system of nerves, muscles, bones and joints which all must work in a balanced and unstressed manner to provide a comfortable and stable bite.

If this system is not in sync, there are a host of signs and symptoms which may be displayed. From the dentist’s point of view, the three major signs of malocclusion (or bite problem) are:

1. Tooth wear
2. Loose teeth and
3. Teeth that have moved out of position

For the patient, there are several symptoms which may be experienced due to malocclusion:

· Headaches (often migraines are misdiagnosed bite problems)
· Neck and shoulder pain
· Facial pain
· Clicking or popping sounds when chewing or opening/closing
· Stuffy ears and ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
· Dizziness
· Tingling fingers
· Sleeplessness
· Difficulty chewing

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD) is a term which encompasses a combination of the signs and symptoms listed above. You may envision a screen door with hinges which are out of whack. To close the door completely, it must always be given an extra strong push. After some time, this forcing the door shut eventually takes its toll on the stressed hinges, and they either break or become so worn out that the door will not close completely no matter how much force is applied. Similarly, in the mouth, if the system is not aligned properly, the muscles have to work overtime to get the teeth to meet. When these muscles fatigue they begin to hurt. And, in the worst case, the jaw joints suffer damage due to their chronically being forced into a compromised position. Patients with TMD are often helped by using orthotics which reposition their jaw into its relaxed muscle position. When the muscles are freed to function normally, pain ceases very rapidly. Even chronic pain sufferers can feel relief in as little as one day.

Many patients display tooth wear to one degree or another. The wearing process is a slow one and patients are often not aware of the problem until it is quite advanced. Earlier is better when addressing wear issues, as there is more tooth to work with and a better long-term prognosis for successfully restoring the teeth.

Equally common are patients whose teeth have moved out of position and are both unesthetic and unstable as a result. We frequently see adults who had worn braces as a child, but their teeth have shifted back to their original position to one degree or another. Crowded lower front teeth which seems to be get worse with time is another common complaint. Such tooth position problems can be reversed using orthodontics, and Invisalign has been a wonderful adjunct treatment for such cases. Invisalign offers a more esthetic alternative to regular braces and can be removed for easier home care. The type of tooth movements which can be accomplished with invisalign is limited however.

There will be more on tooth wear and tooth position problems in the next blog article. If you have any questions or concerns about your occlusion, please feel free to call our office at 908.359.6655 for answers. Or, you may send email to info@DesignsForDentalHealth.com.