Teeth should never touch eachother? - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

luvtocamp · 08-07-2006, 04:04 AM

I was listening to a radio program the other day on tmj from a tmj dentist (supposely one that really knows tmj). He made a comment that teeth should never touch each other, even when you chew. I know when your at rest teeth should be slightly apart, but I always thought that when you swallowed your back and side teeth should come together. Any thoughts on this?

Thelma-Louise · 08-07-2006, 09:08 PM

I have heard this from some drs as well - I don't believe it. All my teeth used to touch - how else do you rest your jaw and muscles - on your tongue? And if they don't touch even when chewing - how does the food get chewed up to be swallowed and digested? Isn't that why they call the back teeth - masticators - they are used to grind the food? I know there are several theories on what a correct bite is, which teeth should meet first and last, but I think it is different for every one since we are all made differently so our bites must be unique. I hate it when drs assume the same is true for everyone.

luvtocamp · 08-08-2006, 05:36 AM

TL- I agree, I know when your at rest you should keep your teeth slightly apart and not clench, but not touching when you bite without having to clench them together doens't sound right to me.

I just read a couple articles too on how dentists are good at grinding down back molars which causes compressed bites, which causees the jaw to retrude which leads to forward head which causes problem with compression of the spine.

It sure does seem that the dentist I have seen seem to use the same tx. for everyone, and then if someone doesn't respond well it must be that persons fault. Were all different with different facial shapes, and need different tx.

sunshine123 · 08-08-2006, 11:45 AM

You're right about dentists blaming the patient for things going wrong. Also, now my DDS is blaming the splint for causing headaches b/c they give you "something to grind on". That's not what he told me when I first got the splint.

kerk · 08-11-2006, 10:02 AM

Concerning how we are expected to keep the teeth from grinding against one another even when chewing food, a dentist explained to me that there's always enough food between the upper and lower teeth to eliminate most of the enamel-on-enamel wear and tear. That makes sense.

But the teeth do seem to come together when we swallow, because then there's almost no food between the teeth.

As for when we are resting our mouths, and not chewing, I think the idea is that we use the jaw muscles to keep the jaws slightly separated. But that would seem to lead to greater muscle tension. I'm not sure. I do know that, for myself, in a resting position, only the front teeth touch, and that is the tips of the bottom teeth touching the back sides of the top front teeth (because of an overbite).