 |
|
|
 Your ‘bite’ is how your top and bottom teeth come together. It is affected by the position of your teeth. In dentistry, you may hear this referred to as your ‘occlusion’.
If your top and bottom teeth fit together properly (an ideal bite), the muscles that control and support your jaw exert minimal effort to move your jaw. This allows you to eat and speak comfortably.
If your top and bottom teeth don’t fit together properly (a non-ideal bite), your jaw is out of alignment. Your muscles may over-exert themselves to find a comfortable position to close your teeth together. You may hear this referred to as ‘malocclusion’.
During the day and night, your muscles may cause you to clench or grind your teeth in an effort to find a comfortable resting position for your jaw. This can lead to many signs and symptoms of malocclusion.
Signs are any physical changes to the health of your teeth, gums and bone as a result of your bite. These can include:
As your teeth wear over time, this changes the position of your jaw further. It becomes higher and closer to your upper jaw bone. As a result, your jaw joint (temporomandibular joint) can be pushed back, compressing the disc and associated nerves in that area. This is known as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, often referred to as TMD.
There are many and varied symptoms of TMD, from jaw clicking and pain, to headaches and vertigo (dizziness). Please click here to read more about the symptoms of TMD.
» To find our more about treating malocclusion, click here.
» To find out more about TMD / TMJ, please click here.
» Back to What We Do
TMJ / TMD Symptoms Disclaimer: The information throughout this website is not intended to be taken as medical advice. For more information about TMD / TMJ Symptoms please contact your LVI trained neuromuscular dentist at Designer Dental Studio. |
|
|
|
|
