Your teeth are meant to bite and chew against one another for a perfect fit that resembles two gears working together in rotation. It is supposed to be seamless and natural.
Sometimes, after a dental treatment such as a filling or a crown, your bite will need readjusted to accommodate the new bite pattern and avoid potential tooth damage that can occur if your bite is off.
Side effects of an offset bite:
- Chronic Headaches or Migraines
- Jaw Pain
- Enamel Damage
- Facial Joint Pain
- Loose Teeth
- Sensitive Gums
- Receding Gums and Bone
- Tender Muscles
- Chipped Teeth
- Shifting of Teeth
How do you adjust an offset bite?
The first step is to diagnose that a problem actually exists. Unlike other signs of dental problems, most issues related to offset bite never produce pain as an early symptom. A comprehensive exam, including x-rays, is required to appropriately diagnose the present conditions.
Next we want to where the contact points of your bite are by using indicator tape while your teeth are closed, moving it slightly to replicate natural jaw movement.
From here, we can work to reshape teeth to allow a more molded, natural fit for chewing.
Are You Considering Adjusting Your Offset Bite?
If you are considering aligning your bite to it’s natural state you owe it to yourself to speak with an experienced dentist as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact us online or call our Martinsburg, West Virginia dental office directly at 304.267.6059 to schedule your appointment. We provide a wide range of general dentistry care as well as more involved dentistry services for patients throughout the Martinsburg area and look forward to you joining the Cornerstone Dental family.