collapsed bite Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

I hate my smile. This is because I cannot see my teeth. When my mouth is at rest, I can’t see it at all. When I am smiling, I have to force my lips up very unnaturally for you to see any of my teeth. I do have some jaw pain. When I am wearing a mouthguard. When I do, the pain is gone and it is a bit easier to see my teeth. My dentist is suggesting porcelain veneers. I am not opposed to getting them, but want to make certain it is my only option before making a decision. My dentist has a habit of just suggesting something and if it doesn’t work, suggesting something else. You probably wonder why I stick with him. It is simply because he is my wife’s cousin. An annoying dentist is a small price to pay for peace at home.

Luke

Dear Luke,

Woman holding her jaw in pain

I am glad you wrote now instead of after your wife’s cousin had a chance to “work” on your teeth. Porcelain veneers possibly could make your smile look better, depending on how skilled your dentist is with cosmetic dentistry. Unfortunately, it will not make your underlying problem any better.

My suspicion, based on your description, is that you have a collapsed bite along with some TMJ problems. There is a way to open your bite back up, but it has to be done carefully and with someone that has some expertise with TMJ Disorder, as well as experience with a full mouth reconstruction.

I do not believe your dentist is going to be able to do this. Don’t worry about your wife. Explain to her it is the difference between going to the family dentist and a specialist for a more nuanced issue.

When you find the dentist, they will open up your bite provisionally with temporary crowns. You’ll need to make sure they feel completely natural and comfortable. You’ll also want to make sure you also like the way they look. Only after you are completely pleased with the provisionals should the dentist move onto the permanent crowns.

Look for a dentist who has studied at one of the following institutes:

The Pankey Institute
The Dawson Academy
The Las Vegas Academy of Advanced Dental Studies

They will have the training necessary to do this procedure for you.
This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

When my mouth is just relaxed, you can’t see my teeth at all. Even when I am trying to smile, I have to work super hard to get my lips up enough for them to be visible. I hate the way my smile looks and want to fix it. Plus, my jaw is starting to hurt. I do wear a night guard and when I do that my jaw hurts less. It’s even easier to see my teeth when I smile at that time. Would porcelain veneers be a good option to fix my smile?

Christie

Dear Christie,

TMJ Disorder can cause jaw pain.

Bear in mind that I have not examined you. However, based on your description, it sounds like you are dealing with a combination of a collapsed bite along with some TMJ problems that complicates things further.

You mentioned that you wear a nightguard. I am assuming that is because you have some teeth grinding going on. This will lead to the collapsed bite if the teeth are ground down quite a bit. That could explain why you are having a hard time seeing your teeth. It would also complicate your bite and lead to TMJ Disorder, which would explain the jaw pain you have been experiencing.

Porcelain veneers will not be the solution for you. They will only cover the surface of your teeth and it sounds like you may need more than that. I would first suggest seeing a TMJ Dentist. This is not a recognized specialty, so you will want to find a dentist who has invested in post-doctoral training.

A TMJ dentist can give you options. If your teeth are as small as I suspect, you are likely to need a full-mouth reconstruction, which is placing a crown on every tooth. This shouldn’t be a problem if you get a dentist with real training, but make sure they do it completely built up with temporary crowns first. They need to feel completely comfortable and natural in your mouth and you should have no problems speaking. Only then should the permanent crowns be made. Then, have them placed with a temporary try-in paste one more time, just to make sure. If they’re still good, go ahead and have them bonded in.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

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