BITE—“OCCLUSAL”—ANALYSIS at your Marco Island Dentist
An important component of dental health is the alignment of your teeth and the manner in which the upper and lower teeth come together when you bite. Referred to on the professional level as “occlusion,” the manner in which you bite can impact your overall oral health because of the massive force generated by the jaw and its muscles. If this force is not spread out and evenly distributed, it can cause serious and possibly irreversible damage to teeth, gums, jaw muscles, and bone structure. The negative consequences of a bad bite are potentially so severe that Dr. Jonathan Van Dyke and Island Tower Dentistry offer bite analysis as one of their services as part of their Marco Island, Florida dental care practice.
Bad Bite—Occlusal Disease
Increasingly recognized as being just as destructive as periodontal disease and tooth decay, bad bite is also referred to as “occlusal disease” and “malocclusion,” and includes the more commonly known conditions of overbite, crossbite and open bites. Some of these conditions are easy to spot and diagnose, but many cases of occlusal disease can be easily overlooked. While one’s bite is a natural condition, changes to the mouth can happen and even something as simple as a new crown can shift your occlusion. Even without obvious visual signs of bad bite, any of these symptoms may be a sign of occlusal disease and should be brought to the attention of your Marco Island dental practitioner:
- Wear on the biting surface of the teeth, often noticed when the front teeth start looking smaller than the back teeth.
- Loose teeth
- Teeth sensitivity, especially in reaction to thermal changes.
- Tooth soreness when biting.
- Teeth breakage or cracking.
- Sore jaw muscles.
- Facial pain or headaches.
- Popping or clicking sounds from the jaw joints during eating or other jaw movement, sometimes accompanied by pain.
- Receding gums
- Notches in the teeth at or below the gum line.
Your Bite Analysis In Marco Island
Your Marco Island dentist visit includes a visual inspection of occlusion as part of a regular checkup. But if you are experiencing any of the above mentioned symptoms, or just want peace of mind with regard to the condition of your bite, Dr. Van Dyke and his team also offer the latest in digital occlusal analysis. With high-tech pressure mapping, force measurement, and tactile sensors, Island Tower Dentistry utilizes T-Scan™ to reveal the level and timing of force on each individual tooth, as well as the occlusal stability of the overall bite. T-Scan™ provides baseline occlusion data on new patients that can be monitored for any future changes, and can help easily diagnose bad bite issues that may be affecting existing Naples, Florida-area dental patients.
Correcting Bad Bite
Depending upon the severity of the occlusal disease, Dr. Van Dyke may be able to correct the bad bite in-office at his Marco Island dentistry practice. Crowns and veneers can be used to correct many bad bite cases, which, along with restoring occlusion, can also provide dental patients with a brighter, more youthful-looking smile. Depending upon the severity, malocclusion-based crown and veneer work can usually be completed within a month. More severe bad bite cases may require orthodontics, which can take several years to complete and may also call for crowns and veneers upon completion in order to restore enamel.
Contact Island Tower Dentistry
Dr. Van Dyke and his highly qualified team of dental hygienists, dental assistants, and Marco Island office support staff stand ready to check the condition of your bite and assist you with all of your dental needs. To contact Island Tower Dentistry about any dental concern, or to schedule a routine checkup, call for an appointment today at 239-394-1004. Our office is conveniently located at 606 Bald Eagle Drive, Suite 200, Marco Island, Florida 34145.
At Island Tower Dentistry in Marco Island, FL – We are firmly dedicated to outstanding patient care and satisfaction. Our dentists practice state-of-the-art dentistry including cleanings, dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, & more. Call a Marco Island dentist today!
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