It’s probably safe to say that you notice when one of your teeth starts hurting and bothering you, right? It’s probably also easy for you to notice when one of your crowns feel loose or when one of your fillings chips. But what about bite changes? Those can be extra sneaky.
After 50, your teeth have already done a lot of work. Decades of chewing, grinding, dental work, small shifts, and natural wear can slowly start changing how your upper and lower teeth fit together. The tricky part here is that these changes can happen little by little and might not always be obvious.
Many people assume that teeth stop moving when you’re an adult. This isn’t actually true. Teeth shift as we age. This is especially true if you have missing teeth, gum changes, old dental work, or a clenching and grinding habit.
You might start to favor one side of the mouth for chewing, or maybe you notice food getting stuck in a new spot after you eat. Or maybe you looked in the mirror and started to notice that your teeth are looking a bit more crowded together than they used to. These are all easy things to just brush off, but they can also be signs that your bite is changing.
Missing teeth can’t be ignored here either. Just one missing tooth can leave extra space in your mouth, and the nearby teeth may begin to drift, or opposing teeth may start moving over to fill in all the extra space. Over time, this can all affect your chewing and the way pressure is spread across your mouth when you chew and bite down.
Teeth naturally wear down with age, but grinding and clenching can speed things up. As tooth surfaces flatten, your bite might start to feel different. You may also notice shorter-looking teeth, small chips, jaw soreness, or sensitivity.
Old crowns, large fillings, and past dental work can affect your bite, too. Dental work doesn’t last forever, and as your mouth changes, older restorations might no longer fit your bite as well as they used to.
You don’t have to wait for pain to ask about bite changes. Mention if you notice any of the following:
At your Logan dentist, we can check how your teeth are coming together and talk through options that fit your mouth, comfort, and goals. Sometimes just a small adjustment can help.
