What is Occlusal Disease?

Occlusal disease is one of the most common undiagnosed dental problems facing today’s dental patients. It has a variety of causes and symptoms, but many patients are treated symptomatically and continue to experience dental health problems through the years. Get correctly diagnosed by a highly trained and experienced restorative dentist like Dr. Hess in Charlotte, NC.

Dr. Hess, a Dawson trained restorative dentist, has devoted a large part of his continuing education studies to the diagnosis and treatment of occlusal disease.

What is occlusal disease?

Occlusal disease refers to the myriad of dental problems that have resulted from an imbalance in the bite. Even the slightest imbalance can create misalignment of the teeth and pressure on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Over time, teeth become worn and damaged.

Dr. Hess looks for signs of improper wear and misalignment during routine dental exams in order to head off future problems for patients and help to preserve optimal oral health.

What are the symptoms of occlusal disease?

Occlusal disease can have a wide range of symptoms, but there are a few that are common and easily recognizable:

  • Frequent headaches
  • Worn and damaged teeth
  • Popping or clicking jaw sounds
  • Jaw or neck/ear pain, especially in the morning
  • Teeth grinding, or Bruxism.

How is Occlusal Disease treated?

After a thorough exam and diagnosis, Dr. Hess may recommend a specific treatment or a combination of treatments to address the imbalance issue and restore damaged teeth. In many cases, patients are prescribe a custom mouth guard to be worn during sleep to reduce or eliminate teeth grinding and subsequent damage to the teeth and jaw joint.

Dr. Hess may suggest a reshaping of the teeth using dental bonding, crowns or other restorative techniques in order to balance the bite. In more severe cases, patients may benefit from orthodontic treatment to realign the teeth.

For all patients, Dr. Hess seeks to restore the integrity of damaged teeth and create a balanced bite that will provide patients with comfortable, lasting results that will help to maintain their long term oral health.

Keeping your bite strong and the teeth and gums healthy can be important for overall health, especially as we age! If you have been avoiding the dentist or have continuing dental issues, schedule a consultation with Dr. Hess in Monroe to restore your dental health and start smiling again.