Bite Adjustment

Your bite is very important in the health of your teeth and oral cavity. If your bite is healthy, then your teeth and muscles work well together and neither is in pain. If your teeth do not meet well together, you will see damage to not only your teeth in the form of worn down teeth, but perhaps your TMJ as well. An occlusal adjustment or bite adjustment might be necessary.

Occlusal adjustment may be performed in one appointment or over several appointments. If Dr. Kaeley anticipates that significant changes in the bite will be required, she will first take impressions of your teeth in order to produce stone casts, or models. The actual adjustment of your teeth will involve several steps and is not uncomfortable in any way. Dr. Kaeley will ask you where you feel uncomfortable contacts and then may help guide your teeth to bite down on paper that marks the teeth where there are interfering contacts and will then begin to adjust your occlusion by lightly grinding the occlusal surfaces of your teeth where there are interferences to your bite. This will be done in small increments, to avoid over-grinding. A follow-up appointment will be booked, in order to check your occlusion again and, if necessary, make additional adjustments.