Bite Problems and Dental Implants

Your bite is the way your upper and lower jawbones, and the teeth embedded in them, fit together. A healthy bite is when the upper teeth fit slightly over your lower ones in front, and the grooves of your upper molars fit the grooves of your lower molars. When dentists talk about a healthy or normal bite, they’re speaking of a bite that fits together as previously described.

Dental implants mimic your natural teeth. They are placed in your jaw bone like a screw, and bond with the bone. They serve as a foundation for crowns – the tooth-part of an artificial tooth. Implants are supposed to be just like your own teeth. Not only do they look like your own teeth, but they should also chew like natural teeth as well. Dental implants are life-changing for many patients.

Here’s all you need to know about bite problems and dental implants.

‍Implants, dentures, and bridges

‍The shortcomings of the alternatives to dental implants make them less appealing. Full or partial dentures can move around in your mouth, make it hard for some people to speak, make some people feel like they might gag, and even create space to trap more food, which encourages infection. Crowns and bridges are other popular solutions to some dental issues, but these have a 15 to 20 percent failure rate in the first 10 years. Those aren’t great odds.

Dental implants are definitely the way to go, but these implants also have some issues that may arrive sooner or later. One of those issues is a patient’s bite – how their teeth fit together.

If you’re feeling discomfort with your bite or while you’re eating, it might be a bigger issue than you first imagined. Having an issue with your bite is a good indication that something is wrong with your dental implant.

‍Common bite problems

‍If you’re experiencing any of these issues, tell your dentist immediately so that they can diagnose the severity of the problem. You will be able to tell if your bite is off fairly quickly. When even the slightest adjustment occurs in your mouth, or even the smallest detail is off, you’ll know it. It’s very hard not to notice the minutiae of our mouths.

Here are some of the common sensations associated with bite problems and dental implants.

• Crown feels off: Your crown may feel too high in your mouth and you find yourself uncomfortably exploring that area with your tongue over and over. Time to call your dentist.
• Moving teeth: if your crowns feel like they’re moving around in your jawbone, this is not good. Even if the movement is small, check in with your dentist just to make sure there aren’t larger issues afoot.
• Tooth or teeth feel sore: Your dental implants should feel like a natural set of teeth, so if you are experiencing pain or soreness that cannot be attributed to the surgery, give your dental health professional a call. They will want to know.
• Jaw pain: If your crown is not aligned with the opposite teeth well and your bite is off, you may experience more pain in your jaw than in the actual tooth or teeth. This is a normal occurrence as your jawbone is inextricably connected to your natural teeth as well as to your implants. If you’re feeling pain in your jaw, tell your dentist.

When you’re checking in with your dentist about your implants or merely for a regular check-up, speak up if you’re having issues with your bite. Your dentist will then measure your bite to see if the trouble is any indication that something’s not quite right with your dental implants.

‍The solution

‍Your dentist will most likely assess your bite with an occlusal analysis. This entails the patient biting down on a piece of special paper to indicate where the surfaces of the teeth meet. Your dentist may or may not check your bite when you go in for your check-up, but if you’ve been feeling any of the above symptoms, please mention them as this information will help your dentist help you.

Consult experts like those with Pasadena Periodontics to ensure your teeth and dental implants are in the best hands.