Occlusive disease
Tooth sensitivity, migraine headaches, tooth and facial muscle pain, and nightly teeth grinding can be symptoms of occlusal disease, also known as traumatic occlusion or traumatic bite. In some cases, undiagnosed and untreated occlusal disease can be far more destructive than tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Causes
Most dentists focus their medical approach on treating clear pathological symptoms, and often, at the beginning, the symptoms of occlusal disease are not felt at all and do not interfere with the patient's daily functioning and life. However, that is precisely when it is worth starting dental treatment. Thanks to a good diagnosis and the decision to begin treatment at the very onset of the disease, later complications can be avoided.
Occlusal disease is caused by improper contact between the upper and lower teeth, which leads to malocclusions. These malocclusions have two sources; the primary factor consists of disorders in maxillofacial development. They can also be secondary (acquired) as a result of teeth shifting towards the gap left by an extracted tooth. Such long-term neglect usually leads to major problems where the dental arches meet. Another problem and cause for the development of occlusal disease can be shifting teeth. We encounter this phenomenon in cases of periodontal inflammation.
Another element that can directly contribute to the onset of occlusal disease is improperly shaped restorations (commonly known as fillings). Their incorrect execution (too shallow or too convex) causes disturbances when the upper and lower teeth meet, which consequently, over the long term, can lead to the development of occlusal disease. A similar situation occurs in the case of poorly crafted prosthetic works (crowns, bridges) as well as improperly fitted veneers.
Among other factors that can trigger occlusal disease are grinding teeth during sleep, biting nails, or chewing on other hard objects.
The most common symptoms of occlusive disease:
discomfort during chewing - subsequently causes constant pain in the teeth and facial muscles. It may result from overloading of the periodontium. Pain can also affect the temporomandibular joints.
worn-down teeth – as a result of unconsciously rubbing them against each other, most often during sleep (see->bruxism)
chipped enamel – similar to teeth grinding, this is one of the symptoms of traumatic occlusion
loose teeth – periodontitis
damaged dental fillings
damaged prosthetic restorations such as bridges or crowns
thermal hypersensitivity
gum recession (receding gums)
numbness of the facial muscles
migraine headaches – caused by excessive tension within the mandible and maxilla (occlusal balance is disturbed, i.e., uneven operation of individual elements of the craniofacial system leading to compensation, which ultimately leads to dysfunction of the entire system)
ringing in the head or crackling of the jaw or maxilla within the bite
Diagnostics
If a patient experiences any of the above-mentioned symptoms, they should consider visiting a dentist. The treatment of occlusal disease always requires an individual approach to the patient. After a thorough verification of the dentition's condition, the dentist makes an initial diagnosis and determines the cause of the occlusion. Then, the treatment of the specific condition that directly causes the development of the disease begins. Due to the fact that there can be many factors directly or indirectly affecting the development of traumatic occlusion, sometimes a broader consultation and advice from dentists specializing in orthodontics, periodontics, dental surgery, or conservative treatment is required. Typically, in the therapy of occlusal disease, depending on the patient's needs, relaxation splints are used (bruxism), fillings are corrected (new fillings), prosthetic appliances are changed, missing teeth are restored (implants), or orthodontic treatment is applied (bridges, crowns, veneers). All of this is done to properly correct the malocclusion.
