If your upper and lower teeth do not come together evenly when you bite down, they may interfere with each other, resulting in wear and oftentimes discomfort. This is called “malocclusion.”

It’s not uncommon for patients with irregular bites to experience periodic or chronic pain in their jaw muscles. Some live with the continuous stress of pain and some have complications in their jaw joints as well in their muscles. Perhaps, you have heard of the terms “TMJ” or ”TMD.” These refer to temporamandibular joint disorders.

Some patients with occlusal problems only have signs of excessive wear patterns on the surfaces of their teeth. Others experience one or more of the following: headaches, cracked teeth, painful teeth requiring root canals, loose teeth, gum recession, painful head and neck muscles, jaw pain, and ear problems.

You’ve likely heard that tooth grinding and clenching wears away the surfaces of teeth. Recent studies indicate that constant clenching of the teeth and grinding the teeth at night may cause micro-fracturing of the teeth at the gum line and make you more susceptible to gum recession.

Many people have malocclusion and also experience nighttime bruxing (grinding) and daytime clenching. Bite splint therapy is usually the first course of treatment for malocclusion and for bruxing. A bite splint fits on your upper or lower teeth, keeping your up and lower teeth from coming in contact during chewing and stress clenching and grinding. This allows the lower jaw to return to a comfortable hinge position and your jaw muscles to relax. A bite splint is fabricated to fit your teeth and this customized appliance is precisely adjusted to fit comfortably. You can wear a bite splint at night and during stressful (clenching) times of the day to relax your jaw muscles and minimize wear.

After wearing the bite splint for a while, the signs and symptoms of occlusal disease stabilize and the teeth can then be modified so they come in contact in a more balanced, harmonious way. The modification process is called “occlusal equilibration.” The goal of equilibration is to have all of your teeth come together evenly with balanced force. Done properly, your teeth will no longer interfere with each other, gum recession will decrease, and your jaw joint will be in a comfortable position.

A bite splint is just one of the useful tools and techniques we have to create a safe, comfortable mouth until we can solve complex problems more permanently by moving teeth, crowning greatly damaged teeth, and replacing any missing teeth with implants. Many adults facing the complex problem of a poor bite choose to undergo a period of orthodontics to ensure their problem is solved the best way possible.

Remember that harmonious oral function supports oral health and helps you maintain your teeth for your lifetime.