Wearing Braces Can Help Relieve Jaw Pain From a Misaligned Bite

Misaligned bites can lead to a variety of oral health problems, including jaw pain. Jaw pain is usually caused by poor bite alignment. When the teeth are misaligned, they may cause muscle pain in the jaw.

How Does A Misaligned Bite Cause Jaw Pain?

Many patients experience facial and jaw pain caused by a misaligned bite or malocclusion. This condition can cause your temporomandibular joint to overwork itself while chewing, which can gradually cause discomfort and pain over time. 

If you experience unexplained jaw pain, it’s possible that your bite may be misaligned. You may grind your teeth at night and not even realize it. The condition of your bite can also affect the appearance of your smile. Over time, crooked teeth wear down and can result in tooth decay or gum disease. In severe cases, the teeth can even shift out of alignment.

A misaligned bite can happen for many reasons. You could have naturally small teeth that crowd together and push your lower jaw forward. Or you may have had a traumatic injury to your mouth, such as a broken jaw, resulting in a change in your bite. Sometimes children’s permanent teeth grow in before the baby teeth have fallen out, resulting in a “tongue-tied” lip and tongue position. This can affect their speech development as well as cause orthodontic problems later on.

If you notice jaw pain and your dentist hasn’t identified a reason for your symptoms, you may benefit from a consultation with an orthodontist. An X-ray of your mouth can help identify whether your teeth are correctly aligned or if there are other underlying issues contributing to your symptoms. In some cases, orthodontic treatment can correct the root cause of the symptoms and provide relief from discomfort. The good news is that wearing braces can realign your teeth and help to relieve jaw pain caused by a misaligned bite.

How Can Braces Help?

Braces can correct misalignment along the jaw, which can have a big impact on your oral health and your overall quality of life. A misaligned bite can place excessive stress on your teeth, causing teeth to loosen and even break. It can also cause headaches and migraines as a result of tight muscles, the tension in the neck, and clenching of the jaw. The discomfort caused by an alignment issue can also lead to low self-esteem and confidence issues. By correcting the alignment of the teeth and jaws with braces, you can alleviate the pain caused by a misaligned bite. In other cases, braces can help relieve pain from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) due to bruxism.

Other benefits include:

• Proper chewing of food, which helps digestion and prevents issues like GERD.
• Better oral hygiene because it’s easier to brush and floss properly when teeth are straighter.
• Improved speech as overlapping teeth can cause tongue-thrusting and other speech impediments that can impact one’s speech patterns.
• Less wear and tear on the teeth, which can lengthen their lifespan.

Not all patients need orthodontic treatment for these issues. If you’re experiencing pain, it’s important to see your dentist for a diagnosis and treatment plan as soon as possible. At our practice, we provide a range of dental treatments and procedures, including Invisalign clear aligners and adult braces. Give us a call at [practice name] to schedule a visit. You can also book online today!