bruxism

AN EDGE TO EDGE BITE WITH zero overjet and zero overbite will lead to excessive tooth wear. Left untreated for many years, this continual process of front teeth meeting and grinding unnaturally will lead to excessive tooth abrasion or early wearing down of your teeth. This will produce short teeth and may even lead to tooth sensitivity.

Orthodontic Treatment Can Create An Ideal Bite

Orthodontic treatment will correct this problem by creating ideal tooth horizontal overlap "overjet" and ideal tooth vertical overlap "overbite." Once this is done, your worn teeth can be cosmetically restored to their original length. This smile makeover will give you the youthful teeth and look which you once had.

Temporary Restorations Help Prep For Final Treatment

After orthodontic treatment, temporary restorations will be made for you to adjust to before you receive your final crowns and permanent tooth build up.

Your orthodontist will need to move the teeth that were worn to ideal tooth and gum position. Your general dentist will then be able to build up these teeth to ideal height and length making them look good as new.

Your orthodontist and general dentist may also recommend a night guard to prevent tooth wear from nocturnal bruxism. Bruxism is the clenching and grinding of teeth throughout the sleep cycle that almost every person occasionally experiences. This will keep you from experiencing further tooth wear in the future.

If You Have Any Questions, Let Us Know!

If you have questions about worn or short teeth, call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics in Antioch, California (925) 757-9000. Dr. Gorczyca works closely with the many fine dentists of East Contra Costa County and beyond to restore teeth to their ideal position and give you a beautiful smile.

Eliminate your edge to edge bite today with orthodontic treatment and a smile makeover. Get back your dental health and your beautiful smile.

STUCK IN TRAFFIC? FEELING TENSE? If you live in East Contra Costa County, California and commute daily on Highway 4, you may have Highway 4 Temporomandular Disorder (TMD).

TMD Can Make For An Uncomfortable Commute

The symptoms of Highway 4 TMD include:

• Headaches
• Tooth pain
• Muscle aches

Your pain may may be chronic or come and go related to your daily commute.

TMD-related problems may include:

• Tight muscles
• Joint inflammation
• Joint damage
• Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism)

Stress Can Make TMD Worse

One thing for sure, the stress of your commute on Highway 4 can only make your TMD and bruxism worse. Bruxism (teeth grinding) or clenching strains the TMJ and is associated with stress. It's hard to control the habit of tooth grinding when you are commuting or stuck in traffic. That's when a dental splint can help.

A splint is a custom made acrylic appliance that fits over your teeth. It may also be called an orthotic or night guard. A splint can keep your upper and lower teeth apart and reduce muscle strain and joint pain as well as eliminate tooth grinding.

Do You Need Relief From Highway 4 TMD?

Until the Highway 4 Bart line is completed and construction is done, you need not live with all Highway 4 pain and discomfort. Feel good and put your jaw at ease with a commuter Highway 4 TMD splint from Gorczyca Orthodontics. If you have Highway 4 TMD symptoms, call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics at 925-757-9000. Find us at www.clubbraces.com.

Top image by Flickr user FontFont used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

NEUROMUSCULAR DENTISTRY differs from traditional dentistry in that it includes focused consideration of the muscles and nerves in and around the jaw—and the correct positioning of the jaw—as part of overall oral health.

Neuromuscular Dentistry Can Help Treat TMD

Our teeth, joints, muscles, and nerves all work together in the proper alignment and functioning of our jaw. When any part of this delicate equation is overlooked, painful conditions such as TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) and other serious dental problems can develop.

How Does Neuromuscular Dentistry Relate To Orthodontic Treatment?

Orthodontists are well educated and experienced in the treatment of TMD. University-based orthodontic residency programs include working in a TMD clinic where patients with severe TMD problems are treated by a team of specialists to provide a solution to this complex dental problem. To find an orthodontist near you, visit the American Association of Orthodontists at www.mylifemysmile.org.

What Can You Expect From TMD Treatment?

The first step of TMD treatment is a comprehensive radiographic evaluation of the temporomandibular joints and discs by a dental radiologist. Once a diagnosis is made, the patient will be referred to the appropriate specialist to treat the symptoms and remove the cause of the pain.

In situations where the bite is involved, orthodontists make a TMD splint. This splint is made of hard acrylic from mounted study models where your jaw placement is recorded in the most relaxed and natural bite position (centric relation). Hard biting will be relieved from the back of this splint (sometimes called a guard) so that your jaw can settle to the most relaxed and comfortable joint position.

Where Is The Pain?

At Gorczyca Orthodontics, we are usually able to reduce TMD pain within 6 months. When appropriate, patients are asked to wear a TMD splint 24 hours per day and come in for weekly adjustments.

“Where is the pain?” is an important question. When pain is in the joint, the bite may be a factor. After the splint is worn and pain is gone, some patients seek orthodontic treament for permanent pain relief.

Some muscle pain can be caused by grinding and clinching of the teeth (bruxism). This pain occurs at certain times of the day, early morning or after a long commute in heavy traffic. In these situations, the splint is extremely useful for relaxing the muscles and relieving muscle pain.

Pain can also be caused by a tooth or crown being high when biting or making jaw movements. This can be relieved by a small adjustment of the teeth with light grinding (equilibration). For this, Dr. Gorczyca will record your bite, complete the process study models of your teeth on an articulator, show you the result, and then reproduce these changes on your natural teeth for a more comfortable bite.

Hard And Soft Tissues Have A Complex Relationship

We work to make that relationship harmonious. If your jaw is misaligned, many physiological problems can result, including:

• Headaches/migraines
• Facial pain
• Back, neck and shoulder pain
• Sensitive and sore teeth
• Jaw pain
• Limited jaw movement
• Worn or cracked teeth
• Clicking or popping in the jaw joints
• and others…

TMD Affects Millions Of People

Neuromuscular dentistry utilizes modern technology to precisely determine the proper positioning of the jaw, and to place the jaw into its optimal position, which can help relieve the symptoms associated with TMD.

If you have symptoms like those listed above, take a minute and make an appointment with our team. We’d be happy to take the time to visit with you about the benefits of neuromuscular dentistry.

Dr. Gorczyca Has Advanced Training In TMD Treatment

Dr. Gorczyca completed a two year study of TMD in addition to her orthodontic residency program. This study was held at the University of Detroit and called “Advance Education in Orthodontics” AEO.

Jaw pain is complex. There could be rheumatoid arthritis involved or damage to your nerves, muscles, and joints due to trauma or pathology. In these situations, Dr. Gorczyca will refer you to the UCSF Craniofacial Pain Clinic or the TMD Center at Kaiser Hospital for evaluation by an additional team of specialists.

For Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD) treatment or neuromuscular bite evaluation, call Dr. Gorczyca at (925)757-9000 or visit us at www.clubbraces.com for a complimentary exam. We are here to help make your life pain free.

And, as always, thanks for being our valued patient and friend.