Do you wake up with a sore jaw or experience jaw pain when you bite and chew? If so, you may need an occlusal adjustment. An occlusal adjustment corrects the alignment of the bite. Common symptoms that signal the possible need for an occlusal adjustment include:

• Chronic jaw pain
• Uneven or excessive tooth wear
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Frequent headaches and migraines
• The feeling that you have an occasional lopsided or “off” bite while chewing

These are indications that your bite may be off balance or misaligned. Your bite alignment may be off due to factors such as:

• Loose teeth
• Teeth that have shifted in your mouth
• Overcrowded teeth
• Missing teeth
• Irregularly shaped teeth

Our skilled periodontist can perform the occlusal adjustment by removing any interference that causes an uneven bite, which in turn causes pain. In most cases, we simply need to make small shaping changes in the tooth enamel (the hard, outer layer of the tooth) to achieve a more ideal bite. As the adjustments are minor and the tooth enamel has no feeling, the procedure is very comfortable and typically does not require an anesthetic. If you are experiencing jaw pain, we encourage you to contact our office today to learn more and set up your next appointment with our team.