The Science Behind the Bite

    PHOENIX, AZ, November 02, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Every day, we use our teeth and jaws to chew, speak, yawn, and open and close our mouths. Because these activities are so ingrained in our daily routines, it is easy to overlook the intricate system that makes these activities possible.

The bite is critical to our daily functions. As such, it is important to maintain the health of this important part of our bodies. Problems with the bite can result in painful conditions, such as the symptoms of TMJ/TMD. Following is a look at what the bite is and how it works.

Anatomy of the Dental Bite

In technical terms, a bite is known as your "occlusion." A proper occlusion is composed of teeth that are aligned and upper and lower teeth that come together correctly. When you bite down, your upper teeth should just slightly overlap your lower teeth, and your molars should come together.

"Malocclusion" refers to a misaligned bite. Malocclusions are the reason most of us will wear, or have worn, braces or other orthodontic devices. Most people have some degree of malocclusion. Even after wearing braces, many adults will regain slight malocclusion further down the road (especially if a retainer is not worn once or twice a week permanently).

There are many reasons that your bite can become misaligned. Causes of misalignment include:

- Genetics
- Thumb sucking
- Thrusting the tongue against the teeth
- Using a bottle past the recommended age
- Jaw injury
- Unevenly sized jaws
- Missing teeth
- Extra teeth

The teeth in your mouth are quite susceptible to moving. Prolonged childhood habits can certainly cause the teeth to shift and move over time, resulting in malocclusion. Other factors are completely beyond your control, such as an injury that knocks the jaw out of alignment. In other cases, jaws develop in such a way that they may be unable to accommodate all of your teeth, resulting in severe crowding. In some instances, the upper and lower jaws develop in a way that prevents them from fitting together correctly.

Because the bite is somewhat intricate and complex, misalignment can cause painful symptoms and interfere with function.

TMJ and Bite Misalignment

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your lower jaw to your skull. The TMJ is what makes it possible for you to open and close your mouth. Misaligned bites and TMJ disorders (TMD) can be closely linked.

A misaligned bite exerts physical stress on the TMJ and its surrounding ligaments, muscles and nerves. This stress can cause many symptoms, including:

- Migraine-like headaches
- Head, neck and shoulder pain
- Ear ringing (tinnitus)
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Jaw clenching

When people seek treatment for TMJ symptoms, dentists often use orthodontic and other dental approaches. By aligning the bite in the correct position, pressure and stress is alleviated from the TMJ.

You can support the healthy functioning of your teeth and jaws by visiting an orthodontist. These doctors can determine your degree of malocclusion, as well as the appropriate treatments.

To learn more about TMJ and TMJ treatments, please visit the website of the experienced Phoenix, Arizona dentists Dr. Scott LeSueur and Dr. Charles Dodaro at www.drofsmiles.com.

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