Bite Adjustment

A bite is considered to be healthy when all or most of the teeth are present and in good alignment and good relationship between top and bottom dental arches.  Tooth breakdown through periodontal disease, decay, trauma, or excessive grinding can result in an unhealthy bite.  Teeth that are lost and not replaced allow other teeth to drift out of position and this can create an unhealthy bite.  When you have a reduced bite you place excessive force on the remaining dentition which can cause problems over time.

It is destructive when teeth show wear, looseness or when TMJ (jaw joint) damage is seen. Bite therapy helps restore a bite that can function without damage and destruction. The therapy may include:

• Reshaping the biting surfaces of the teeth and eliminating spots of excessive pressures where 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 custom-fitted and adjusted plastic bite guard to keep the teeth apart, worn during the day, at night, or both.
• Braces to reposition mal-aligned or drifted teeth.
• Replacement of old, worn out, or damaged fillings.
• Reconstruction of badly worn and damaged teeth.
• Replacement of missing teeth with dental implants