Do you already have a perfect smile, complete with Hollywood-straight teeth? Don’t assume all is well, according to dentists and orthodontists. That’s because, despite looks, even the straightest-looking teeth can often hide problems that can cause everything from a painfully bad bite to microscopic cracks and chips in the tooth enamel. This means that despite that even-looking grin, you could someday deal with painful repercussions that are costly and painful to fix. Dr. Alexandra George is a Wexford, Pennsylvania, dentist. She says that everyone - no matter how beautiful their smile is – owes it to themselves to get an orthodontic exam. "When we think of orthodontics, we most likely think of straightening out a crooked smile," says George. "It seems like a strictly cosmetic procedure to some, but orthodontics really can do so much more." For example, George says one of the most useful things orthodontics can do has nothing to do with aesthetics. Orthodontics can correct a bad bite, something that can cause everything from difficulty chewing to chips and cracks in the teeth. "If the teeth are hitting or scraping at each other when you chew, or they simply aren’t aligned evenly when your jaw is closed, you could be doing damage to your enamel," George says. Enamel is the semi-translucent outer layer of your teeth. Though it is the hardest substance in the human body, unlike bone it doesn’t grow back when damaged. That's why we need fillings when our enamel is damaged. But an aligned bite is one more way to protect that enamel. Another reason people get orthodontic treatment is for a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder. Temporomandibular joint disorder affects an estimated 10 million Americans, most of whom are women. It occurs when the temporomandibular joint becomes misaligned with the rest of the skull and can cause everything from jaw stiffness to tinnitus and head, neck and back pain. What’s more, according to George, you can have a beautiful smile and still have temporomandibular joint disorder. Thankfully, a category of orthodontics called neuromuscular orthodontics can help treat temporomandibular joint disorder by realigning the jaw to its optimal placement. George is a practitioner of this type of orthodontics and has seen success in her patients who undergo this treatment. Another reason to visit the orthodontist? Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects millions of Americans each night - and many of them don’t even realize it’s a problem. While some may wonder what their dentist or orthodontist can do to help with their sleep, George says many dentists and orthodontists can provide sleep orthotics that help prop the airway open as the patient sleeps. If you have never received an orthodontic evaluation, George says it's never too late to get one. As for children, dentists recommend they receive their first orthodontic exam at age 7. "It’s a good age to get a treatment plan in motion if that is necessary," says George. "It not only helps the parents prepare for the expenses related to the treatment, but more importantly the sooner the treatment begins, the better the results."

Imagine if your jaw ached when you opened and closed your mouth, or sometimes you heard a telltale clicking or popping sound when you spoke or chewed food. Sometimes you might even experience stiffness in your jaw that feels like a precursor to lockjaw, or your jaw may lock up against your will and you have no way to correct it. You think you may have temporomandibular joint disorder, but without a proper diagnosis, you can’t be sure. So, you do the logical thing and schedule an appointment with a dentist. But how do you know your dentist is using the right method to diagnose the problem? And what exactly is the right method? In the old days – and in many modern-day practices - disorders such as temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJD, were partially diagnosed using something called articulating paper. Articulating paper is a sheet of paper that patients bite down on to show the alignment of their bite. It was a good idea in theory, but over time dentists realized that articulating paper has some pretty big pitfalls. Namely, while you can see the alignment of the bite, you cannot see which teeth bite down first or hardest, nor can you see the dispersion of pressure on the bite. Enter the Tekscan, or T-scan, machine. The T-scan machine is the best tool available to any dentist to measure dental occlusion (where the upper and lower jaw meet in the mouth) from a bad bite (called malocclusion) or temporomandibular joint disorder. A T-scan machine measures how the teeth make contact with each other, and the force with which they do so. The T-scan machine delivers instant results via a small, hand-held device that connects to a computer. By reading the data gathered by the T-scan, Dr. George can determine whether you have malocclusion or TMJD and can better formulate an accurate treatment plan to get your teeth looking and feeling their best. When you choose a dentist who uses the T-scan machine, you are choosing to benefit your bite with the newest and best occlusal measurement technology available today. To schedule your own T-scan, please call Dr. George’s office at 724-220-2347.

Having crooked teeth can make even the most confident person insecure about his or her smile. In fact, a recent study found that 81 percent of American adults are insecure about their smile - and about 28 percent of them won’t even smile in pictures! But poor self-esteem isn’t the only problem caused by crooked teeth. Believe it or not, having a bad bite can contribute to many other ailments you may have never considered.

A recent article in an Irish newspaper is causing quite a stir here in the United States for claiming that a new form of ear insert can alleviate some of the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. The catch: It’s from right here in America, and most people here have never heard of it. It’s a custom-fit device called Cerezen, and it sits just inside the ear canal like a hearing aid might. But instead of helping you hear, Cerezen claims to help stop bruxism (also known as teeth grinding) and alleviate pain-causing pressure on the muscles and joints affected by TMJ disorder.

One common misconception patients have when they get a cavity filled is that their filling will last a lifetime. While it would be nice if that were true, the resin composite material used in most fillings lasts about 20 years, give or take a few. But sometimes fillings break down much sooner than anticipated, with some lasting as few as five years. So, what’s going on with those fillings? Are they made of inferior materials? Were they placed incorrectly? Or maybe there’s something else going on that could be causing them to wear out early. Here are some common reasons fillings break down sooner than expected.

If you’ve ever been told you have a "bad bite," chances are you can see for yourself that your teeth are out of alignment. From a strictly cosmetic standpoint, a bad bite doesn’t usually look so great, and most people who have bad bites have probably considered correcting them with braces or other orthodontics. But a bad bite can be far more serious than simply having crooked teeth. A bad bite can not only cause uneven wear on the teeth, but it can also cause damage to the teeth, jaw soreness, bruxism (or teeth grinding) and even temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ disorder).

Imagine if there were a single device that would let you tighten and tone your face muscles, create a chiseled jawline, and maybe even eliminate or reduce signs of temporomandibular joint disorder and sleep apnea. Well, if you believe the hype for the Jawzrsize device, you may have just found it.