How Occlusal Issues Can Affect Your Oral Health

Having a straight, white, beautiful smile is something that everyone wants but there are a number of issues that can affect both the appearance and function of the teeth. Here we take a look at and explain what exactly is dental occlusion Essex and the impact it can have on your oral health.

Malocclusion

Occlusion is the name given to the way that the upper and lower teeth come together and align when performing certain movements such as speaking, chewing and biting. A person with a ‘normal’ or ideal occlusion will have upper teeth that slightly overlap the lower ones with molars that fit into the groves of the ones opposite. Their teeth should also fit without any crowding or spacing issues.

Problems with your bite and misalignment of the teeth is known as ‘malocclusion’, occlusal disease or a bad bite and can occur in several different ways but the most common being;

• Underbite – the lower jaw extends further out than the upper jaw.
• Overbite – the top teeth protrude too far over the lower teeth.
• Crossbite – can affect one or several teeth, causing them to overlap and meet at an abnormal angle.

Oral Health

The type and severity of malocclusion can vary greatly but the way that the teeth are aligned can have a huge impact on various aspects of oral health.

Tooth Decay And Gum Disease

Keeping teeth free from plaque and tartar can be difficult for everyone, even patients with perfectly straight teeth. For those with malocclusion though, there can be tricky areas where teeth overlap and are misaligned, making them extremely hard to clean thoroughly which can lead to a build-up of tartar and plaque. This can cause decay and gum disease if not properly maintained and the best way to prevent it is to treat the occlusal issue at the core.

Jaw Problems

When the bite is off, it can affect the muscles, joints and overall function of the jaw. This strain can lead to problems with the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) which often result in jaw pain, headaches and even clicking noises when opening and closing the mouth.

Worn Enamel

The hard outer layer of your teeth is very important and helps to protect them from damage and decay. Malocclusion tends to cause rapid wear down and damage to the enamel where the teeth unevenly rub together. This not only increases the risk of tooth decay but can weaken the structure of the tooth making it more prone to chips and cracks and lead to increased sensitivity to hot and cold.

Biting, Chewing And Talking

Misaligned teeth can lead to issues with simple every day functions such as speaking and eating. It is not uncommon for patients with teeth that are not properly aligned to experience troubles with speech, pain in the jaw muscles when chewing and even problems swallowing food.

If you think you could be suffering with malocclusion, then don’t wait until the problems worsen. Book an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible so they can talk through your symptoms and assess your teeth to find out what is wrong. They will then be able to put together a treatment plan to help put you on the path to a healthy, fully functioning, beautiful and pain free smile.