Occlusal Adjustment

After a night of sleeping, do you ever wake up with a sore jaw? Experience pain when eating or talking? When you bite, do you feel like your jaw is lopsided? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may need an Occlusal Adjustment.

Dr. Frederick Shaw, D.D.S. of Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group can help you adjust and correct the alignment of your bite. This misalignment is a result of loose, shifting, crowded, or missing teeth. Evenly adjusting your bite will take irregular pressure off the mouth. Occlusal adjustment causes minimal to no pain, and very little discomfort.

Before the procedure, Dr. Shaw utilizes new technology to help locate at-risk areas. A computer scan of the mouth takes hundreds of bite registrations per minute, noticing even the smallest irregularity. This allows us to make adjustments that are only absolutely necessary.

During the procedure, Dr. Shaw will adjust the jaw by using a dental drill. Removable mouthpieces, similar to mouth or night guards, are also used. These will protect the tooth surface and relax the jaw muscles once the adjustment is complete.

What qualifies a good candidate for occlusal adjustment? Patients with loose and shifting teeth have found success, along with patients experiencing bruxism (teeth grinding) and uneven bite and pressure distribution. If you suspect that you may need an occlusal adjustment, schedule an appointment through the contact information below.

Visit Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group in Austin, TX, or contact Dr. Frederick Shaw, D.D.S. online or over the phone. More information can be found on our website www.fredrickshawdds.com, or by calling us at 512-451-7491.

 

Types of Teeth

We make replacements for all kinds of teeth at the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group, so it’s important for patients to know what exactly each tooth does. There are naturally thirty-two teeth in a normal adult’s mouth; some can be done without, but some can’t.

In the back of the mouth are three pairs of molars. These teeth are for grinding and chewing. The ones furthest back are called wisdom teeth, and they are often removed because there is not enough room for them to erupt fully. In front of the molars are two pairs of premolars, which are the same, but smaller.

There is one pair of canines in each jaw. These pointy teeth are used for piercing, but their even more important function is to provide the jaw arc with stability at the point of maximum curvature. The two pairs of front teeth are called incisors and are further distinguished by whether they are central or lateral. These are the teeth which are most important for forming speech and are the ones which usually receive the most cosmetic attention.While molars and premolars are often removed without being replaced, leaving a missing front tooth is bad for both the mouth's appearance and its function.

Frederick Shaw, DDS, operates the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group at 1500 W 38^th Street, Suite 34, Austin, Texas, 78731. To schedule an appointment, call 512-451-7491 or visit FrederickShawDDS.com and fill out a contact form.