What is a Bite Adjustment and Why You Might Need One
What is a bite adjustment?
Basically, a bite adjustment is a dental adjustment where we balance your bite between your upper and lower teeth. We balance the bite so that you're biting comfortably, speaking comfortably, and your jaw is comfortable.
Why would I need a bite adjustment?
To address unevenness in your bite. If you don't adjust your bite, your bite is not balanced, you may wind up with toothaches, jaw joint pain, and a misaligned bite. Sometimes your bite is off, and we can straighten that out for you. We adjust a bite when you have toothaches, jaw joint pain, and a misaligned bite due to an uneven or unbalanced bite.
What are common reasons people need a bite adjustment after dental work like fillings and crowns?
The reason most patients need adjustments after we place a filling or a crown is because it's nearly impossible to put everything perfectly with the right amount of material. There are usually overfilled areas, so it is to reduce the overfilled areas in porcelain crowns or on white fillings.
What symptoms can patients experience if their bite is not properly aligned?
Basically, you can have achy or sore teeth. When you bite down, they can hurt or become sensitive to cold or heat. You can have sore jaw muscles, difficulty eating, and sometimes even headaches. That's where a bite adjustment can help out a lot.
How is a bite adjustment procedure performed by a dentist?
We use color paper, usually blue. There are different colors, but I usually use blue color paper to mark the high spots on a crown or a filling. Those are the areas that will tell us which areas to reduce.
How do you know if a bite adjustment is needed after veneers, braces, or Invisalign?
Your bite will feel off. If it feels off, let us know right away. If you don't take care of that, you can get headaches, a clicking jaw, or sensitive teeth. You'll know if it doesn't feel natural. Let us know and we will fix it for you.
Can orthodontic treatments like braces or Invisalign fix an open bite, overbite, or crossbite?
- An open bite is when your teeth are open when you bite down.
- An overbite is when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth.
- A crossbite is when your teeth are crossed over, which can be in the front or back.
- An underbite is when your lower teeth are more forward, like a bulldog.
Very mild cases could possibly be fixed with orthodontics, braces, or Invisalign, but usually, when they're detected in adulthood, you need a combination of orthodontics with oral surgery. Simple cases caught early in childhood can probably be corrected when they are simple.
What is the difference between correcting an open bite, an underbite, and a crossbite?
The difference is that with an overbite, the lower jaw is smaller than the upper jaw, causing the upper teeth to overlap the lower teeth. Usually, you'll do braces to correct everything, followed by jaw surgery to separate the jaw and bring it forward, allowing the bone to fill in.
For an underbite, you'll have braces and corrective surgery to separate the upper jaw and bring it forward.
For a crossover bite, one of the jaws, either upper or lower, will be uneven; one will be wider than the other, causing it to cross over on one side.
An open bite is usually a jaw joint issue and involves jaw surgery to realign the jaw, which is usually rotated and needs to be placed in the right position.
Can bite issues ever be corrected naturally without dental treatment?
Usually not. You typically need surgery. If caught very early in a young child while they're still developing, you might be able to do some correction. However, as an older teenager or an adult, surgery and orthodontic braces are usually needed to achieve proper results.
What is the typical cost of a bite adjustment and does dental insurance usually cover?
The cost really depends on where you live and the complexity of your case. Usually, a single tooth adjustment is between $200 and $400. This depends on the doctor, the location of the practice, and the complexity of your situation. For the best advice, call a local dental office for a consultation to get a better idea. That's the only way to know for sure.
What advice could you give to patients who are experiencing discomfort or pain after recent dental work and think their bite might be off?
Do not wait. Anytime your teeth feel off or your bite feels off, call right away. If it's off and you keep pounding on the tooth that is high, it's going to get sore and your jaw can get sore. Call the office right away. It's simple to adjust the bite, so give us a call. Do not wait. It doesn't get better on its own; let us balance it out for you.
Want to learn more? Call Virginia H. Ellis, DDS Dental Corp. at (925) 272-2698 or email [email protected]. Our team is happy to answer your questions and help schedule your visit.