Your bite is the way your upper and lower teeth come together.
Most of us barely notice it. You close your mouth, chew your food and get on with your day. But your bite isn’t necessarily fixed for life.
Teeth, gums, bone, muscles and the jaw all change over time. Sometimes those changes are so gradual that you don’t notice them until your teeth suddenly seem to meet differently.
Here are seven things that can alter your bite.
- Natural Tooth Movement
Teeth aren’t permanently fused into your jawbone.
Each tooth is supported within the bone by a periodontal ligament, which allows tiny amounts of movement and helps absorb chewing forces.
Over many years, the position of teeth can gradually change.
This is one reason someone who had beautifully straight teeth when they were younger may notice mild crowding or movement later in adulthood.
- Losing a Tooth
Every tooth forms part of a larger system.
When one tooth is lost, the neighbouring teeth may gradually drift or tilt towards the empty space. The opposing tooth can sometimes move further out of its socket because it no longer has a tooth to bite against.
These movements may alter the way your teeth contact each other and can potentially make certain areas more difficult to clean.
It’s one reason we look at the whole mouth when discussing options for replacing a missing tooth.
- Teeth Grinding and Clenching
Grinding and clenching can place substantial forces on teeth.
Over time, repeated grinding may wear down biting surfaces. Teeth can become flatter or shorter, and small amounts of enamel can gradually disappear.
If enough wear occurs, the relationship between the upper and lower teeth may change.
Many people grind while sleeping and have no idea they’re doing it. Sometimes the first clues are worn teeth, morning jaw discomfort or a partner hearing grinding noises overnight.
- Dental Treatment
Some changes to your bite are intentional.
Orthodontic treatment, including braces and clear aligners, works by carefully moving teeth into different positions.
Restorative treatment can also affect the way teeth meet. A filling, crown or other restoration needs to fit comfortably within your existing bite.
Immediately after dental treatment, something may occasionally feel slightly different simply because you’re suddenly paying close attention to an area you normally ignore. However, if a new restoration feels noticeably high when you bite, let us know.
- Changes to Your Gums and Supporting Bone
Your gums and jawbone provide the foundations that support your teeth.
Gum disease can damage the tissues and bone supporting teeth. In more advanced cases, teeth may become mobile or change position.
This can create new gaps, alter the angle of teeth or change the way the upper and lower teeth come together.
Importantly, gum disease can progress with surprisingly little discomfort, which is why changes in tooth position shouldn’t simply be dismissed as part of getting older.
- Wisdom Teeth and Changes During Adulthood
Wisdom teeth get blamed for almost every case of adult crowding.
The reality is more complicated.
Teeth can naturally shift throughout adulthood whether wisdom teeth are present or not. Changes in jaw growth, ageing and the balance of forces from your lips, cheeks and tongue may all contribute.
If your lower front teeth seem more crowded than they used to be, it doesn’t automatically mean your wisdom teeth pushed them forward.
- Changes in Your Jaw and Muscles
Your bite isn’t determined by teeth alone.
The muscles responsible for chewing and the joints connecting your lower jaw to your skull all influence how your mouth closes.
Changes in muscle tension, jaw function or tooth wear can sometimes make the bite feel different even when individual teeth haven’t dramatically moved.
This is particularly noticeable because your mouth is incredibly sensitive to tiny changes.
Why Does a Small Bite Change Feel So Obvious?
Your teeth and jaw have an extraordinary ability to detect pressure.
Something as small as a tiny piece of food caught between two teeth can feel enormous. That’s why a subtle change to one tooth can sometimes make your entire bite seem unusual.
Occasionally, that sensation disappears as you become accustomed to a change. At other times, it may indicate that a tooth has moved, become damaged or is contacting differently.
The important thing is noticing when something has genuinely changed.
If your teeth suddenly don’t seem to meet the way they normally do, one tooth hits before the others, or you’ve noticed your bite gradually changing, come and visit us. We can examine how your teeth are coming together and work out what may be behind the change.
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