TREATMENTS

• Fillings / Restorations
• Amalgam Fillings
• Dental Sealants
• Dentures
• Bridges
• Dental Implants
• Crowns
• Tooth Extractions
• Gum Disease Laser Therapy
• Non-Surgical Root Canal
• TMJ Disorders

TMJ - Bite Instability

Our jaw joint (Tempro Mandibular Joint – TMJ) is a ball and socket joint like our hips, shoulders, knees, etc.  In order for this joint to be stable and function properly, without problems, it must be fully seated at the exact same time that the teeth fully come together  and the muscles position the jaw for seating.  If we get any change in position of any teeth, then the teeth will not allow the joint to seat fully and instability will occur.  The results of the instability will be the teeth and muscles and joint fighting each other to tyr to get proper seating of the joint.  In our mouths, this instability will show signs that Dr. Wolenski will recognize or symptoms that the patient recognizes.

SIGNS

• Cracking and chipping of teeth
• Extreme wear spots on teeth
• Teeth moving - spaces developing that were not there before
• Neck tightness
• Unattractive appearance of front teeth - worn, chipped, look shorter, overlapping, crooked 

SYMPTOMS

• Pain on teeth when chewing
• Tenderness in TMJ
• Unable to open wide
• Headaches of unknown origin
• Clenching, grinding

The signs can become symptoms. You want to solve the biting issues before the signs  become symptoms.   If you don't fix the bite problems then you cannot stop the breakdown.

In order to do successful Esthetic Dentistry that will last a long time, it must be functionally stable, i.e. Functional Esthetic Dentistry.

The first step is to properly diagnose by getting models of teeth, x-rays, photos measurements, and bite records of existing bite.  This must be transferred to a dental articulator, a mechanical device which allows Dr. Wolenski to study your bite as it exists now. 

Dr. Wolenski will then come up with the solutions necessary to restore proper function to the teeth, stop the breakdown, and provide longevity to the dentistry.

After Proper Diagnosis, the treatment for this instability can range from just conservative adjusting the way teeth meet (equilibration) to possibly moving the teeth (orthodontics) or changing the shapes of the teeth (crowns or bridgework).