Jaw & Bite Health

Many people today are aware of Jaw & Bite pain problems, caused by the Temporomandibular Joints. Your TMJ are actually two sets of muscles, one on each side of the skull behind the ears, that connect the lower jaw to the skull.

When your teeth, muscles and jaws work together correctly, the teeth do not wear out and your facial muscles and jaw joint are comfortable. Patient comfort is our main concern. Dr. A.J. Boyajian is dedicated to repairing teeth with a focus on maintaining Jaw and Bite health.

For more information on Jaw and Bite health and other services provided in our office, please call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Boyajian in Westchester, CA.

,

The Importance of an Aligned Bite

Correcting A Misaligned Bite Can Add a Youthful Look to Your Years

Do you suffer from nagging neck pain, persistently stiff jaw, severe headaches and/or do you habitually grind your teeth? If so, you may have a misaligned bite or ‘malocclusion’. A malocclusion exists when the teeth and jaw joints do not properly fit together. It manifests as an under-bite, overbite or spacing between teeth and overcrowding problems. These types of malocclusions can cause a wide range of dental and secondary issues, and dramatically impact facial esthetics – which can take a real toll on a person’s self-esteem. Seeing your holistic dental practitioner for a bite assessment can lead to a better profile, healthier teeth, more restful nights and fewer headaches.

Malocclusion vs. Misalignment

When a person’s bite is misaligned, an uneven distribution of pressure is put on both the teeth and jaw, particularly while chewing. This misalignment can cause many issues including tooth pain due to loose fillings, broken crowns or chipped and crooked teeth, recessed gums, TMJ (clicking and popping of the jaw), difficulty opening or closing the mouth and ringing in the ears. It can also lead to muscle strain which can cause frequent headaches or sinus pain, and difficulty or discomfort when biting or chewing.

A malocclusion is also considered one of the most likely culprits in patients who complain of teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Chronic headaches are a well-recognized symptom of malocclusion that results from the uneven pressure placed on the teeth and jaw. The poor alignment of the teeth can be a result of genetic factors combined with poor oral habits, can result from an injury or stem from several childhood factors including inadequate nutrition. A bite analysis conducted by a dental professional can help to determine the level of correction needed and the type of treatment options a patient and dentist might consider.

Why You Should Seek Treatment of Malocclusion and TMJ

When looking at malocclusion, holistic dentistry focuses on the relationships of the teeth, facial muscles and jaw as a way to bring the whole body into healthy balance. Proper functioning of the temporomandibular joint or ‘TMJ’ is important for a well-aligned bite and healthy teeth. When injury to the jaw occurs, or if a malocclusion has been diagnosed, TMJ dysfunction may result, and create any number of problems that can impact a person’s overall health.

Benefits of treating malocclusion are many and include; a reduced risk of tooth decay as a malocclusion often causes an uneven wear pattern on the teeth which can lead to early tooth erosion and decay; improved oral hygiene by reducing overcrowding and making it easier to clean the teeth and gums effectively. There is also a reduction in the risk of TMJ or temporomandibular jaw syndrome which is often linked to a malocclusion.  And, by realigning the teeth, pressure on the jaw is reduced, thereby eliminating many of the painful symptoms associated with malocclusion. Malocclusion correction can also improve facial aesthetics and lead to a greater sense of self-esteem.

How to Tell If You Have a Malocclusion

The best way to test for a malocclusion is by way of a bite analysis which is a relatively simple procedure that is done in a dental office. For this procedure, the patient bites down on the mouth piece of a handheld scanning device. This device measures the pressure and force of a person’s bite from all angles. It will reveal which teeth undergo more pressure, determine where upper and lower teeth do not meet, and if there is a misalignment of the teeth or jaw. A bite analysis is quick, simple and painless – and it can provide valuable information regarding oral health and reveal many complications associated with malocclusion.

Treating Malocclusions

The most ideal treatment for a malocclusion doesn’t involve painful braces, surgery or grinding on healthy teeth – and of course, the best treatment is non-surgical and non-invasive. For some patients, dental aligners such as Invisalign® is the preferred treatment. These braces are removable, invisible to the naked eye and work in much the same way as fixed dental braces, without distracting from the aesthetics of the smile.

A simple mouth guard may be the prescribed treatment in milder cases, and in some people, can make a significant difference at relieving symptoms of a misaligned bite.

Patients who have suffered from bite malocclusion for many years are often interested in the non-surgical treatment Face Lift Dentistry®. This exclusive treatment can reverse the appearance of years of aging while replacing old fillings, bridges and crowns with healthy biologically matching restorations that are made to idealize the bite and the shape of the patients face.

A preferred treatment for malocclusions is with the use of the functional osteopathic teeth straightening palate expansion device called Advanced Lightwire Functionals (ALF). This device addresses misalignment of teeth, facial bone reformation, TMJ pain, as well as troublesome sleep apnea. For many patients, the ALF orthodontic appliance helps to relieve chronic pain and remedy many of the common physical ailments associate with malocclusions. It offers far less discomfort than braces, is much less painful, and is easily removable for cleaning.

Resources:

Malocclusion and Orthodontics: 

,

The Pinhole Surgical Technique(TM)

Well, if you’re the patient getting operated on, maybe you don’t think it’s so cool. Unless you’re the rare exception who likes needles in your gums.

But you should be excited, because this technique, and others like it, will allow your gums to be shaped with minimal risk, pain, and down-time. Its inherently minimally invasive and low-maintenance. There is no cutting or suturing, and healing is quick.

This technique was developed fairly recently by a man named Dr. Chao, and it is taking off internationally as the preferred method of gum shaping after periodontal or gingival treatment.

Note that this is solely meant to restore the gum line for the purpose of aesthetics and functionality. It is not gum disease treatment, and it must be done in a disease-free mouth. So this is something I’d do after my patient has successfully undergone therapy for gum disease and only needs the gums to shrink back up around the teeth.

It sure beats the traditional method, however, of grafting gum tissue from another area of the mouth.

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

https://dentalwellnessarts.com

,

Gum Recession: The How and The Why

How do people end up with recessed gums? Gum recession is a common result brought about by gum disease  (or its more advanced stages of gingivitis and periodontitis) and abrasive over-brushing (brushing your teeth too harshly too often with the wrong brush). Perhaps poor dental work in the past has caused an imbalance in the mouth, possibly a bite malfunction that has, over time, negatively affected occlusal (bite) functionality.

As a side note, yes, even slight imbalances in bite mechanics can cause long-term diseases and vulnerabilities that seem unrelated. That’s why holistic dentistry is so important: we get to the root of the problem, considering the whole patient. If you try treating gum recession without first considering the possibility of TMJ problems, mercury poisoning and tissue rejection from amalgam fillings, or miscalculated restorations, you may have to do it over again, with poorer results each time.

So why is gum recession a problem? Recessed gums weaken and loosen the roots of teeth, exposing the vulnerable parts to physical injury and infectious bacteria. Gum recession sets the stage for tooth decay and tooth loss. Practicality aside, bad cases of gum recession are not aesthetically pleasing and may cause patients to be self-conscious.

What about you? Have you had any experience with gum recession, or do you know someone else who has? News of this Pinhole Surgery  and other gum surgery techniques may be a welcome relief, then… or maybe something you wish your dentist knew a long time ago.

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

https://dentalwellnessarts.com

, , ,

Treating Gum Recession with Dr. Chao’s Pinhole Surgical Technique (TM)

Treating Gum Recession with Dr. Chao’s Pinhole Surgical Technique (TM)

 

The traditional way gum recession is treated is by performing gum grafts. Gum grafts are essentially stitching extra gum tissue (taken from elsewhere in the patient’s mouth) to the affected area. The body heals and returns the patient to normal, by sewing everything up, and waiting several months for it to merge. This method is effective and dentists are trained to treat more severe cases of gum recession. However, gum grafting is slow, invasive, riskier, and generally  an expensive process that interferes with the patient’s daily life.

Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST)

That’s why we are so excited about the Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST). If you saw the video I previously shared, you can see an illustration of the two methods compared side-by-side. The PST is a quick, simple, low-maintenance procedure with healthy and natural-looking results. I imagine patients would watch it and think, “Why on earth have dentists not come up with this sooner?” I agree.

PST is a method by which a tool is inserted directly into the gum tissue and is used to gently, partially separate the tissue from the underlying facial bones. The tool is like a hooked needle, which sounds awful, but it means nothing gets sliced up. The only mark left behind is — you guessed it — a little pinhole that heals up in a matter of hours.

After the insertion and loosening of the gum tissue, the gums are then pushed downward (or upward, depending on where we’re working) around sterile teeth. When the gums are nice and cozy up against the teeth again, treatment is finished. Collagen is then inserted behind the gums to stabilize them and speed up the healing process.

Essentially, the Pinhole Technique doesn’t only physically manipulates the gums so that they once again surround and envelop the teeth. But it also stimulates the surrounding area so the gums continue to grow and flourish and stay put in their proper place. A clean, disease-free environment is important, however, and this technique is not appropriate while gum disease is present.

Healing takes place in a matter of days, even overnight for some cases. The patient may not have to take time off work or interrupt his or her busy life. The pain and medical risks are minimal, if any. It is truly amazing, and I’m excited to incorporate it into my practice. I hope many future patients will benefit from this new technique.

Dr. Boyajian, Los Angeles

https://dentalwellnessarts.com

,

How to Use an Oral Irrigator

Read more
,

Help! I’m Grinding My Teeth!

Renee, one of our blog readers, posted this question:

I have a bad habit of grinding my front teeth. I think it’s just a nervous habit. I’ve done it for about 5 years. I do it all the time day and night. My bottom front three teeth are now smooth across the top. Do I need a mouth guard or anything else to break this nasty habit?

Thanks!
Renee

Dear Renee,

Uncontrolled grinding of teeth is never good. In healthy mouths, the amount of time teeth are in contact is very little. It is important to find the reason for your grinding. For some people, some medications can be the cause, but in the majority of cases I see, it has to do with a mal-alignment of teeth.

Teeth serve many roles for the body. One of the important roles is to help position the upper and lower jaws in relation to each other. They act as nerve extenders that are highly sensitive (about 20 million nerves per tooth) so if the teeth do not send the correct message to your brain like “Do not grind” then your natural defense mechanisms are not working. In other words, grinding is used by the body to help keep the jaw in alignment by wiping away the interferences that keep you from closing properly. This is why it is important to find the cause of the interference and address it to protect both the jaw joint and the tooth structures.

Regarding mouth-guard /splints: when made well and properly adjusted, they can be highly effective in protecting the mouth. The key is properly understanding how the mouth is supposed to function so that the splint works in harmony with the jaw joint. I use splints to help me diagnose the extent of the mal-alignment. This help me decide what are the best choices to present to the patient for solution. Once the plan is devised then the implementation can take place. I feel a significant amount of dental problems are related to uncontrolled grinding.

I hope this helps answer your question.

Dr. Boyajian, West Los Angeles

www.dentalwellnessarts.com