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Bite Adjustments and Occlusal/Night Guards

An occlusion (or Bite) is considered to be healthy when all the teeth contact evenly and simultaneously when in full contact, and there is no interference as the lower jaw (the mandible) moves forward or side-to-side.

It is destructive when there is wear, looseness, or migration of teeth, or when there are symptoms, such as pain or noise, involving the TMJ (jaw joint) as it functions. Bite therapy helps restore a bite that can function without damage and destruction. The therapy may include:

  • Reshaping the biting surfaces of the teeth and eliminating spots of excessive pressure when the teeth are brought into contact. This is done by carefully distributing occlusal (bite) pressure evenly across all of the teeth.
  • Bite splint therapy using a custom fitted and adjusted plastic bite guard to keep the teeth apart, day, night, or both.
  • Braces to reposition mal-aligned or drifted teeth
  • Replacement of old, worn out, or damaged fillings
  • Reconstruction of badly worn and damaged teeth
  • Extraction of hopeless or poorly positioned teeth

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