1. Understanding Dental Occlusion
Dental occlusion is the way that the teeth meet when you close your mouth and put them together. There are several things that create the occlusion. The teeth themselves are one factor on how they fit together. Teeth that are out of line or irregular don't fit well. The muscles and nerves in the jaw also make a difference in how the teeth fit. Finally the design of the bones and any irregularities are deciding factors in you bite. Your posture affects the later two and can create incredible differences in your bite. Try slumping and biting and then sit erect and bite. You should feel the difference in your bite.
2. Internal Protections
When the nerves feel the teeth clenched too tightly where pressure is on the canines, a message to release the bite comes from the brain. Bruxism and clenching patients either don't heed or receive the message and they wear the teeth down with the grip and grind. This tooth clenching and grinding frequently occurs at night when the patient is asleep. Average pressure on a bite is 68 lbs. of pressure per square inch. Clenched teeth bring that pressure up to 150 lbs. per square inch. Patients with problems of bruxism and clenching often raise the that to 1200 lbs. per square inch at night. Sometimes the grinding begins after a new dental filling changes the landscape of the mouth.
3. Dangers of Occlusions
Dental occlusions create several problems that can plague patients and create enormous discomfort and dental bills. Bruxism and clenching occur when the teeth are not in proper alignment. The teeth begin to shift and become mobile. This causes a lot of pain. It also leads to gum disease and other periodontal problems and tooth decay. TMJ is a hazard that comes from poor occlusion. This painful condition causes earaches, headaches, jaw problems and vision problems to name a few. Abfractions or slots on the teeth once thought to come from too vigorous brushing now link to dental occlusion.
4. An Occlusion by Any Other Name
There are many different descriptive terms used for the poor dental occlusion. Sometimes the dentist refers to an ill aligned occlusion as misaligned teeth. Crossbite, underbite, overbite and even open bite are also descriptive terms for poor occlusion. Crowded teeth may be another moniker for occlusion.
5. What to Do
If your bite is misaligned there are several things that can be done, depending on the reason and severity of the symptoms. If you began to notice this after dental work, call the dentist. He can do corrections on fillings if the cause came from a new bite created by the filling. Braces are one way to correct misaligned teeth. Removal of teeth in overcrowding is another corrective measure. Surgical repair of the jaw is a solution in some cases. Specialists in this area of dentistry should be consulted.
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