The way your teeth fit together is called your bite. It is essential to your oral health. Your bite should close with no gaps or spaces between your teeth. It should also be a straight-looking U-shape with all teeth touching and in the correct position.
Pain
A healthy bite (or occlusion) should feel like your upper and lower teeth are in perfect relation. It should not be crowded, spaced, twisted, or rotated.
A bad bite, on the other hand, is called malocclusion and can cause significant discomfort and pain. It may also affect your speech, ability to chew correctly, and capacity to eat without pain or discomfort.
The strain on your jaw muscles as they work to correct your teeth’s alignment could also cause headaches. The best way to determine whether a bad bite or another dental issue may be to blame for your headaches is to visit the best Invisalign orthodontist near me for an evaluation.
In addition, a bad bite can lead to unconscious tooth grinding and clenching as your jaw tries to compensate for the uneven alignment of your teeth. It can wear down your tooth enamel and weaken your caps, crowns and fillings.
Sensitivity
Sometimes, a bite or sting from an insect can cause symptoms beyond the skin area affected by the insect’s venom. These reactions can be severe and even life-threatening in rare cases.
These symptoms include hives, itching, swelling, redness and warmth. They can also cause a blister or an infection in the affected area.
Some people try home remedies for these symptoms. These may help, but they don’t work for everyone and may not be safe for children or those with specific health problems.
Talk to a doctor if you aren’t sure what caused your bite. They can ensure the problem isn’t severe and help you treat it.
Teeth Grinding
If your bite is misaligned, you may experience a tendency to grind your teeth while you sleep. It is called bruxism and can be a sign of a problem with your bite.
Bruxism can cause severe damage to your teeth and jaw, so addressing it as soon as possible is essential. It can lead to various problems, including painful chewing, grinding sounds and changes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that could cause migraines.
Whether or not you experience pain when you bite will indicate whether you had a bad bite. If you have a proper bite, you should not feel any pain in any tooth when you are chewing.
A misaligned bite can also lead to speech issues, such as lisps or problems with the tongue. It can also cause your teeth to wear down, making brushing and flossing difficult.
TMJ
If you have a bad bite, you may be experiencing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which affects your jaw’s muscles and joints. It causes pain and stiffness in the mouth, ear, face and neck that can sometimes spread to other areas.
Your TMJs are on either side of your skull and join your lower jaw (mandible) to the temporal bone. They are intricate joints with a ball and socket with a cushioning disc in the middle.
When this ball-and-socket joint is out of place, you can feel a clicking or popping sound when you move your jaw. It is not normal, however.
If you have symptoms of TMJ, such as pain when moving your jaw or hearing a clicking noise, or if you experience difficulty opening and closing your mouth, see your dentist for an evaluation. They can discuss TMJ treatment options with you and prescribe a custom occlusal splint to help your bite align properly.
