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Video: Eliminating Bad Bite Problems (suspected or real)
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Question:
After Orthodontics - Back Teeth Don't Touch: Ever since I got my braces off 7 years ago, my back teeth didn't touch.
I had bonding put on the back teeth a few times. That helped a lot but never lasted very long. Recently I went to a new dentist who decided to file my front teeth down to make the back touch better. I thought she was only going to file the back of my top canine teeth, but she ended up filing the front and top of some of my bottom teeth as well.
She made one of my bottom canine teeth a lot smaller than the other side and shaped it into a point. My bite feels even worse than before because now not only do some of my back teeth still not touch, but my bite feels uneven.
I no longer have what they call canine protected occlusion, at least not on one side. I keep accidently hitting my anterior teeth together when eating or talking. If I were to get braces, would it be possible to lift up that canine tooth a little to match the other side? Can that be done?
I don't know what to do. One dentist said they couldn't bond it back on because it will just keep breaking off. ...Visitor from MA
Answer:
It seems the issue of your back teeth not touching after your braces came off 7 years ago should have been addressed at that time. It is also great that you understand the concept of a canine protected occlusion.
This is where the top and bottom canine or eye teeth contact normally and act to prevent interferences between the back teeth. As you slide your bottom jaw to the front,or to the right or left side,your canine teeth smoothly ride against each other, in any direction, to lift the back teeth up and out of the way to prevent them from knocking into each other.
When back teeth knock into each other, called having excursive interferences, it can lead to loose and sore teeth from all the abnormal occlusal forces. Also, interferences in your bite can lead to jaw joint or TMJ (Tempro-mandibular Joint) problems like clicking, popping, pain or breakdown of the protective disc that is situated between the head of the condyle of your lower jaw and the base of your skull.
Once orthodontic treatment is completed it is sometimes necessary to alter or restore the canines with veneers or crown restorations to achieve "cuspid protected occlusion". In extreme cases some patients require orthognathic surgery to align the jaws properly.
This is especially true in severe Class 2 occlusion where the bottom jaw is deficient and set way
back, or in severe Class 3 occlusion where the lower jaw sticks way out beyond the top teeth (the bulldog looking bite).
ComfortableDental.com
Ron Briglia, DMD
Chester County Medical Building
600 East Marshall Street, Suite 201
West Chester Pennsylvania PA 19380
(610) 692-4440
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