Occlusal Adjustment
Florence, AL
 Dental occlusion refers to your bite. When you close your mouth, the lower and upper teeth should align evenly. When the teeth come together, the grooves and bite surfaces should fit properly. However, dental issues, such as overcrowding and cracked teeth, can cause your teeth to misalign, resulting in bite problems.
Your teeth might also misalign due to temporomandibular dysfunction or TMJ disorders, resulting in bite issues, or after an accident in which you have received considerable facial trauma. The good news is that our dentists at Singing River Dentistry can help fix this issue through an occlusal adjustment procedure.
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What Is Occlusal Adjustment?
Occlusal adjustment is a dental procedure that aims to fix bite problems, ensuring proper teeth alignment. This dental treatment involves reshaping your teeth with a grinder or a dental drill to improve their occlusal surfaces, ensuring they align evenly.
will selectively grind the surfaces of the misaligned teeth to enhance their contact patterns, effectively restoring your bite and oral health. Bite correction helps alleviate uneven pressure on one side of your mouth, ensuring your teeth fit appropriately.
Who Is a Suitable Candidate for Occlusal Therapy?
Anyone with teeth alignment issues, an uneven bite, or patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or bruxism are ideal candidates for occlusal treatment. If you unconsciously clench or grind your teeth or have loose or shifting teeth that impact your bite, you can also book an appointment with us for occlusal therapy. However, occlusal adjustment is a permanent dental procedure, meaning we may have to assess your situation before recommending the treatment.
What to Expect During an Occlusal Adjustment Procedure
Occlusal adjustment typically involves two phases.
The first stage entails adjusting the tooth contact patterns, while the second phase stabilizes the reshaped teeth. Given that occlusal therapy is a permanent dental procedure, our dentist will first conduct a thorough dental examination to determine your eligibility for treatment.
We will perform various dental care exams, including X-rays, scans, and radiography, to define the extent of your bite problems and identify areas that need teeth alignment. After the initial assessment, our dental practitioners will schedule your occlusal therapy.
We will administer local anesthesia or an appropriate sedative to make you calm and comfortable before and during the procedure. The oral practitioner will then use a dental drill or grinder to reshape and reconstruct your teeth accordingly, ensuring proper teeth alignment. After the procedure, we will place removable mouthpieces or dental care appliances like retainers to protect the reshaped tooth surfaces and relax the facial muscles.
Occlusal Adjustment Recovery and Aftercare
An occlusal adjustment procedure can cause mild discomfort and increased tooth sensitivity. Recovery times depend on the extent of treatment, adherence to aftercare instructions, and observing proper dental care. Most patients heal within two weeks, but recovery can go up to 24 months.
You can speed up your recovery by avoiding hard and crunchy foods. Also, avoid overly hot or cold beverages until the sensitivity subsides. Brush and floss daily, but avoid probing the treatment areas until you recover fully.
Benefits of Occlusal Therapy
Occlusal therapy has several benefits. It restores your dental occlusion, ensuring proper teeth alignment. The procedure also prevents bone loss by stabilizing loose or shifting teeth. This dental procedure is intricate and can prevent malocclusions from recurring. Most importantly, occlusal adjustment can help restore your smile and dental function, ensuring optimal oral health.
Common FAQs About Occlusal Adjustment
Occlusal adjustment can be a complex or even confusing dentistry term for most patients. However, we are here to help you understand everything about this dental treatment. Below, we answer the most common frequently asked questions about occlusal therapy.
Why Do I Need Occlusal Adjustment?
You might need occlusal adjustment if you have bite problems or misaligned teeth. This dental procedure also helps alleviate jaw pain, repair cracked teeth, and fix uneven dental occlusion. If you have difficulty chewing, speaking, or even breathing, you might need occlusal adjustment to address your concerns. Our Florence, AL dentists can help resolve these issues through occlusal therapy and other dental treatments.
What Is the Difference Between Occlusal Adjustment and Equilibration?
Occlusal adjustment and equilibration are synonymous and have no significant differences. They are similar procedures involving the reshaping of your misaligned teeth. Dentists often use these terms interchangeably. The only notable difference is that occlusal equilibration might entail adjusting your jawlines and jaw joints through a more invasive surgery to ensure an aligned bite.
Does Occlusal Therapy Hurt?
Occlusal therapy does not hurt. However, some patients might experience mild pain or discomfort during and after the procedure. This dental treatment might also increase tooth sensitivity since it involves grinding and drilling your tooth surfaces. Fortunately, the discomfort is mild and often subsides within a few days. You can alleviate discomfort by taking pain medications and avoiding hard foods and hot or cold drinks until you fully recover.
Is Occlusal Therapy Reversible?
No. Occlusal adjustment is not reversible. It is an invasive and permanent procedure that helps restore your misaligned tooth and correct bite problems. Given that occlusal therapy is an irreversible treatment option, we must conduct a thorough dental examination before performing the procedure. Our dentist will assess your teeth to identify malocclusions and bite issues before recommending treatment.
Do I Need an Occlusal Splint After Occlusal Adjustment?
You may or may not need an occlusal splint after occlusal adjustment. An occlusal splint is a removal oral appliance that helps protect reshaped tooth surfaces. It also stabilizes your teeth, helping restore your bite after treatment. Our dentist will evaluate your progress to determine if you require a splint after occlusal adjustment.
Correct Your Bite With Professional Occlusal Adjustment
Bite problems, such as crowding, irregular spacing, and overbites, can cause several dental issues. They can result in speech problems, jawbone loss, or difficulty chewing. They can also dent your smile, trigger tooth loss, or even impact your facial structure.
The good news is that we offer various bite correction procedures to help restore your radiant smile, dental function, and overall oral health. Our competent dental practitioners can resolve your concerns through occlusal adjustment and other dental treatments.
Contact Singing River Dentistry at 256-712-3549 for questions about occlusal adjustment or to schedule an appointment with our team.
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