Occlusion describes the manner in which your teeth fit together. When your jaw is closed, your upper front teeth should protrude ever so slightly in front of your lower front teeth. The chewing surfaces of your teeth should also align comfortably with the chewing surfaces of their opposites. This balance helps your jaw move smoothly along its joints, and allows teeth to evenly disperse the pressure of your bite to minimize impact and avoid damage. When teeth aren’t aligned properly, a condition known as malocclusion, a patient’s bite is imbalanced, and teeth can become excessively worn from exposure to undue pressure. The jaw’s joints can also become damaged, leading to debilitating discomfort in the form of TMJ disorder. Whether you are suffering from malocclusion, need surgical orthodontics, or braces, then Los Angeles orthodontist, Dr. David Alpan, can personally design an appropriate course of treatment to correct your crooked teeth and preserve your smile’s beauty and function.
Malocclusion—Why Adults Need an Orthodontist
Most crooked teeth are inherently visible when patients smile, their unevenness disturbing what should be a perfectly balanced arrangement of teeth. However, not all of the effects of malocclusion (crooked teeth) involve visual appearance. When left untreated, a disproportionate bite can prove devastating by forcing the components of a patient’s mouth to absorb more pressure than they were designed to withstand. Often, it can lead to debilitating discomfort in the form of TMJ disorder, which describes damaged, inflamed, and/or misaligned jaw joints. As a dedicated