Long-Term Management
TMJ Beautiful Smile
The orthotic is a diagnostic tool not a permanent solution. It may be tempting to want to stay with the orthotic for an indefinite period since it helps alleviate painful symptoms in a very short time. After your bite is stabilized, your symptoms are dramatically reduced and your teeth, muscles, jaw, and temporomandibular joints are functioning in harmony, you must next arrive at a decision on how to proceed for long-term management and to stay pain free.
There are a variety of ways to correct your bite in a more permanent way. Some of the most common of these approaches are outlined below:
Coronoplasty/Equilibration
If you were not a “bruxer” and did not grind away the natural tooth structure of your teeth, you may be a candidate for coronoplasty. Coronoplasty is smoothing and reshaping the enamel of the teeth to correct your bite. It is a simple procedure that does not require anesthesia and can be used when the bite is only slightly misaligned and the teeth are in good condition (not ground down from grinding/bruxism)
Orthodontics
Orthodontics, (braces or Invisalign©), to move the teeth to this new ideal position. This option is typically chosen when there is limited restorative work in a patient’s mouth and the natural teeth are in excellent condition (not a bruxer). There will be a likelihood that you will need some Coronoplasty to adjust the bite to it’s optimal position.
Reconstruction
This option is the most comprehensive for function and aesthetics. This option allows us to restore all of the teeth in the appropriate Neuromuscular developed bite. This approach is mostly used when the patient has ground down their teeth so far that “height” will need to be added to the remaining teeth to bring their occlusion to it’s correct Neuromuscular position. The teeth are lengthened by the application of crowns and/or bridges to the remaining tooth structure. This permanently realigns the bite and provides the appropriate structural support for the jaw.
Reconstruction gives Dr. Morgan the opportunity to conduct a complete smile makeover where your jaw will be in its appropriate position and you will have a beautiful smile.