A bite is deemed to be healthy when all or most teeth are present and not damaged or destroyed by normal daily wear and tear.
Signs of destroyed or damaged teeth include, teeth feeling loose, showing wear or when temporomandibular joint (otherwise known as TMJ or jaw joint) damage can be observed. Bite therapy aims to restore your bite so that it is able to function without causing this type of damage. In a sense avoiding a problem before it is able to fully develop.
Examples of bite therapy include:
- Reshaping teeth to reduce excessive pressures where they make contact on biting surfaces. To do this we skillfully divide the bite pressures uniformly across all teeth rather than having the pressure focused on just a few. This reduces the strain on the teeth.
- Bite splint therapy uses a custom made mouthguard made specifically to fit your mouth. This ensures that the right teeth stay apart, either during the day or night, or potentially at all times.
- Braces are also another option used to reposition poorly aligned teeth or teeth that have drifted out of place.
- Replacing old, decaying or damaged fillings can also improve your bite.
- Reconstructing badly damaged and worn teeth are yet another method towards improving a poor bite.
Martindale Dental provides both general and specialty dentistry under one roof. For more than 20 years, our dentists have been advocates for their patients oral health care needs. Our dental offices are conveniently located in Toronto, North York, St Catharines, North York, Burlington, Milton East and Milton West, Ontario. We offer convenient before & after work and weekend appointments.