Occlusal Adjustment

Teeth are meant to touch and chew against one another. They should fit like very well designed gears.  When teeth don’t fit ideally, and one or more teeth touch harder than another there are significant long-term consequences, including bone loss and loss of teeth. The reason for adjusting the bite is to avoid the continued process of damage and destruction that will occur if the conditions are left alone. 

Before occlusal adjustment – teeth grind against each other causing gum and bone recession, muscle and joint soreness and pain. When teeth do not touch evenly, it puts stress on the teeth, supporting bone, gums, jaw joints and muscles.  Consequences of teeth touching unevenly include but are not limited to: loose teeth, chipping and wear of the teeth, increased sensitivity of the gums and /or bone recession/loss, deeper gum crevices, headaches and damaged jaw joints.   However in many cases the destruction can be silent and requires diagnosis by your dentist.

The process of reshaping (occlusal adjustment) can include just a few teeth or all teeth.  In fact, most  people with periodontal disease require bite adjustment before, during or after treatment.  Bite evaluations and adjustments should be done at each visit.

You may require several visits to adjust the bite properly.  As the larger discrepancies are reshaped, the patient often discovers smaller spots that although the bit seemed accurate may need adjusting further.

Concerns about bite adjustment: