Month: August 2020

Dental occlusion is the way your teeth in the mandible (lower jaw) and maxilla (upper jaw) are in contact with each other. In layman terms, the alignment of teeth and jaws is what dentists refer to as occlusion. This contact determines the functional relationship of teeth. People who have normal occlusion do not have any trouble speaking or eating. Read on to find out why do alterations in the occlusions affect your teeth and gums.

Importance of occlusion
Occlusion is an important part of the masticatory system. The way your teeth are placed in your mouth determines the ease of activities like smiling, speaking and eating for you. Properly chewing the food ensures that the chances of developing plaque are lessened. If the occlusion in young children is improper, it may affect the way their teeth develop. This can be tested by observing if their upper and lower jaw properly align together or not.

Being able to speak properly is another major activity that depends on dental occlusion. In case you have some alterations in the occlusion, the condition is referred to as malocclusion. It can affect the look of your face and can cause dental diseases and speech problems. It may also lead to problems like temporomandibular joint disease. The causes of malocclusion range from heredity to some trauma or habits. In some cases, tooth extraction may also lead to malocclusion.

Types of occlusion
Following are the types of dental occlusions that are observed to find out if there is some problem in the alignment:

• Static occlusion- it refers to how your teeth are arranged when the jaw is closed and not moving.
• Dynamic occlusion-. It observes the contact teeth make when the lower jaw is moving. Dynamic occlusion is commonly known as articulation.
• Centric occlusion- it is the occlusion between opposing teeth. It is also known as intercuspation position or a habitual bite.

Why should you worry about your occlusion?
Many orthodontists prefer occlusion treatments if you do not have what is called “a good bite”. These treatments include-wearing a nightguard, occlusal adjustment, or even braces. These therapies ensure that your teeth are properly aligned to provide you comfort. Certain habits like grinding the teeth in adults and thumb sucking in young children may negatively impact the occlusion. A bad occlusion also affects the articulatory muscles that are a part of your masticatory system. Occlusion may worsen an existing periodontal disease. Bruxism and dental gaps also lead to malocclusion.

Visiting a dentist is the right way to find out if you have the right occlusion or not. They can help you with an orthodontic treatment in case there are some deviations from the normal occlusion type. Occlusion has a significant role to play in our overall dental health. By affecting the way we speak, eat or smile, it controls almost all the important functions performed by our teeth. So, to find out if you have the right alignment of teeth for proper oral functions, visit a dentist immediately.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

When it comes to the oral health of children, the most common question parents have is “how long does it take for the teeth to grow”. Understanding all the facets of the development of teeth in young children is important for parents to be assured of their overall well being and body development. It helps in determining the kind of food a child can consume and what dental practices will be healthy for them at that stage of life.

Temporary teeth

While the tooth bud formation begins weeks after the baby is conceived, they do not erupt until after the birth. An exception to this is some children being born with a set of teeth known as natal teeth. This may be due to any medical condition.

At the age of 2, most children have a full set of 20 functional teeth. These primary teeth are now she’d to make way for the permanent teeth.

Permanent Teeth

Shedding of the teeth may take years. The eruption of permanent teeth is simultaneous with the development of the mouth.  The time gap between falling out of the baby teeth and the eruption of permanent ones may be as long as six months.

The shedding of baby teeth usually begins at the age of six or seven in most individuals. The first kind of teeth to develop at this age is the molars. Incisors start developing after this and continue till age 9. Premolars in the upper jaw usually appear at the age of 10 while those in the lower jaw appear between the ages 10-12. Canines and second molars develop after that. The process continues until the age of 13 to 14. After this, the child enters the puberty stage.

The average age for an individual to acquire all the 32 teeth is believed to be 21 years. In case of a tooth extraction by a professional, it may be weeks before the new tooth grows back.

A lot of people from the age group 13- 40 experience the eruption of a third molar set, commonly known as the wisdom teeth. They are the last out of all the teeth to emerge. Many people prefer getting their wisdom teeth extracted to avoid the pain they can cause.

Knowing about this timeline is important as there might be cases when the permanent teeth do not appear after the falling of the temporary ones. The permanent teeth can sometimes grow in the wrong direction, or there might not be enough space available for the new teeth to grow in. There are medical procedures that can help your child with this.

Consulting a paediatrician is important if the permanent teeth do not develop at the right age as it can lead to various dental health problems like a tooth gap or some gum diseases.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.