Constricted Envelope
Another Non-Bruxism issue we see is a constricted envelope of function. In this problem, the orthopedic position of the lower jaw is slightly forward from where the teeth lock together. This is often noticed by the patient in one of many ways.
Symptoms may include:
- when you bite, you may hit your front teeth first
- you have to squeeze your jaw to get to your back teeth
- you are noticing thinning of the back-side of the upper front teeth, and eventually chipping, and wear on the lip-side of the lower, front teeth.
If these symptoms persist long enough, the position of the disc between the skull and the top of the lower jaw will go towards the lip and stay there creating an “off the disc” position. This will sometimes create various jaw discomfort issues.
What If I Don’t Get This Looked At?
Left unchecked, this can result in significant wear of the front teeth, looseness of the front teeth, and sometimes jaw muscle problems.
Treatment for constricted envelopes depends on an analysis first, a deprogrammer retainer is made and worn by the patient for about a month to determine where the lower jaw would want to naturally sit. An analysis is then performed on 3D models to determine treatment options.
Options can include therapies such as:
- orthodontic movement of the teeth
- reconstruction of destroyed front teeth, or
- reconstruction of the back teeth to enable room for the front teeth to hit without interference
If you feel that you relate to any of the above, feel free to call us at 360-734-6620 as we are accepting new patients, and would be happy to schedule an appointment with you.
For visuals on how your jaw alignment may look with Constricted Envelope, please view the video links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrCU4MONEwo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB6Iiwp7-sk
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