An intricate balancing act: jaw, muscles and teeth.
The healthy function of your teeth depends on the proper balance and function of your jaw joints, jaw muscles and teeth. When these three elements are balanced, teeth come together to allow the muscles and jaw joints to rest without strain or tension. Without this balance, the results can be:
The diagnosis of Temporo Mandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)
To gain insight into your TMD, we use modern science to determine what’s causing the problem and how much damage it has caused. There are five steps in gathering this data:
Determining what a more “balanced bite” would be — where jaw muscles, jaw joints and teeth are balanced
The treatment of Temporo Mandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)
The treatment of TMD involves the adjustment of your bite position using orthotics. After using bite recordings and a lower “Anatomical Orthotic” to complete the diagnosis of your proper jaw position, the following steps are taken:
Phase I — Orthotic worn to relieve systems for at least three months and allow the jaw system to heal. Phase 1 may last a year or more,
Phase II — Finishing the case, which includes either the long-term wear of an orthotic, the use of orthodontics and/or porcelain restorations to return your natural smile.
There could be several factors, which include: • Unbalanced dental treatment • Breathing or allergy issue during childhood • Thumb-sucking or other oral habits • Old dentistry that has broken down or worn out • Shifting of teeth after tooth loss • Some types of orthodontic treatment
This is how I refer to the battle between two jaw positions, the first where your teeth mesh together the best (your present bite) and the second where your jaw muscles and jaw joints are balanced and calm. In this battle, there are three possible outcomes:
Your muscles win and by moving to where they are more balanced they grind down the teeth in the way. You end up with shortened teeth, gum recession, and/or a collapsed lower third of your face.
Your teeth win and the teeth lock the muscles in a strained position. You experience muscle tension and stress along with headaches and other TMD problems
Strained neck muscles certainly affect your posture. With your head centered, your spinal column is straight, but jaw and neck muscle tension can shift your head away from center. You spine compensates by buckling, and postural distortion develops as your shoulders and hip begin to tip.
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