We provide general dental services to whole families at Bayberry Dental Care in Tinley Park and carefully monitor the oral development of our pediatric patients. This National Children’s Dental Health Month, we thought it would be a good idea to discuss one of the less appreciated aspects of the biannual dental check-up: the bite check.
Bite checks consist of visual and tactile examinations. Using our office’s panoramic x-ray machine, we’ll determine whether a child’s teeth are at risk of coming in jumbled or impacted. We’ll also examine their teeth for unusual signs of wear on the enamel. Certain wear patterns could be caused by nighttime teeth grinding or clenching, also known as bruxism, and could be related to jaw pain, obstructive sleep apnea, or temporomandibular joint disorder. We will also feel the child’s temporomandibular joints (the ones connecting the lower jaw to the skull) and ask them to demonstrate closing their teeth together.
If we find evidence of a bite problem, there are a few solutions. A customized night guard can be used to protect teeth from bruxism and keep the child’s airways open at night. Typically, children get their first orthodontic assessment when they’re about eight. Treatment would usually not begin until they’re about eleven, but it could begin earlier if a dental misalignment is already causing problems. A bite check could also reveal whether we’ll need to extract wisdom teeth or a set of premolars to prevent overcrowding.
Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.
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