Home | Search | About OC | OC Masterclass Training | Course Schedule | Registration | About Dr. Chan | Doctor Education | Patient Education | Finding a GNM Dentist | Scientific Truth | Dr. Chan’s Articles | Dr. Chan’s Blog Notes | GNM Dentistry | Contact Us
Occlusal Bite Adjustments: When to Grind and When Not to Grind the Teeth
Key Rule for TMD Patients Health: “Don’t have your teeth cut and occlusally altered unless you know exactly where your neuro-muscularly occlusal stable position is.”
Defining the term “Equilibration”: the achievement of a balance between opposing elements or forces.
It would be unfortunate to attempt to correct a muscular problem via occlusal alteration (equilbration) on natural dentition when these other factors could be underlying contributors to muscular issues. Muscles don’t strain and pain unless there is underlying bone displacements, joint derangement and postural imbalances, eventually over time it can effect the teeth.
Attempting to occlusally adjust the bite (reshaping enamel) may be a simple straight forward way to address a muscle problem if and only if the muscles are straining because of some recent occlusal restorative treatment that was done (high filling or high crown as examples). In that case have the dentist correct and adjust that single tooth, but not the whole arch and muscular issue most likely will go away if one does not have prior muscular pain. Dentist now a days want to try out their fancy EMG bite occlusal equipment and start adjust folks bites not always recognizing the problems mentioned above.
Patients who have musculoskeletal occlusal signs and symptoms should seriously consider working with a trained and skilled dentist who understands how to properly manage a removable GNM orthotic when treating pain, masticatory dysfunction and joint derangement problems.
Fine and detailed “Micro occlusal” management details are important when a TMD patient is able to feel and sense 15-17 microns of a single strand of hair thickness between their teeth. A trained dentist who understands the importance and value of using low frequency J5 myomonitor TENS in conjunction with accurately locating one’s jaw and joint position as they related to calming spastic musculature and uses principles of both gnathologic as well as neuromuscular principles (GNM) is better suited to deal with those often and hidden occlusal muscular joint problems.
- the act or acts done to put the mandible into equilibrium with the maxilla.
- a condition in which all the forces acting upon the mandible are neutralized.
- n the modification of occlusal forms of teeth by grinding, with the intent of equalizing occlusal stress and of harmonizing cuspal relations in function.
Muscle pain and tension problem
Muscle pain and tension problems can be stemming from the following underlying problems:- Mal alignments of cervical regions (trauma, recent accidents contributing to boney structural changes
- Shifting or imbalance of the cervical bones) or maxillary to mandibular mis alignment (cranio-mandibular distortions from abnormal tongue swallow habits
- Orthodontic/orthopedic like anterior open bite tendency
- Retruded jaw problems
- Maxillary anterior teeth that are tipped back) Class II division 2) problems entrapping lower jaw
- TM joint condyles disc displacement problems that can also contribute to muscular pain problems).
It would be unfortunate to attempt to correct a muscular problem via occlusal alteration (equilbration) on natural dentition when these other factors could be underlying contributors to muscular issues. Muscles don’t strain and pain unless there is underlying bone displacements, joint derangement and postural imbalances, eventually over time it can effect the teeth.
Attempting to occlusally adjust the bite (reshaping enamel) may be a simple straight forward way to address a muscle problem if and only if the muscles are straining because of some recent occlusal restorative treatment that was done (high filling or high crown as examples). In that case have the dentist correct and adjust that single tooth, but not the whole arch and muscular issue most likely will go away if one does not have prior muscular pain. Dentist now a days want to try out their fancy EMG bite occlusal equipment and start adjust folks bites not always recognizing the problems mentioned above.
Patients who have musculoskeletal occlusal signs and symptoms should seriously consider working with a trained and skilled dentist who understands how to properly manage a removable GNM orthotic when treating pain, masticatory dysfunction and joint derangement problems.
Fine and detailed “Micro occlusal” management details are important when a TMD patient is able to feel and sense 15-17 microns of a single strand of hair thickness between their teeth. A trained dentist who understands the importance and value of using low frequency J5 myomonitor TENS in conjunction with accurately locating one’s jaw and joint position as they related to calming spastic musculature and uses principles of both gnathologic as well as neuromuscular principles (GNM) is better suited to deal with those often and hidden occlusal muscular joint problems.
Effective Occlusal Adjustments Should Resolve the Following Muscular Problems
If you have:- unresolving pain in the temples (anterior temporalis),
- unresolving facial (masseter) pain,
- occipital pain,
- cervical pain in the neck (sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and anterior scalene muscles tension and
- pain and tenderness at the lower border of the posterior regions of the mandible
Read more: TREATMENT
- Treatment: Clenching
- What does Stable Mean – TMJ Lingo or Scientific Basis?
- TMD Problems that Challenge Dentistry – Four Main Categories
- Initial Treatment Protocol
- Postural Alignment: Chan’s Dental Model
- How Fast Can One Expect TMJ Pain Improvement
- How Often Does the Dentist Adjust the Orthotic Before, During and After Chiropractic Treatment?
9061 West Post Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89148 United States Telephone: (702) 271-2950
Leader in Gneuromuscular and Neuromuscular Dentistry