The “bad bite”, TMD and symptoms:
The function of the temporomandibular system
Dental medicine preserves or restores natural physiological characteristics. This includes ensuring the patient’s optimal chewing function within the temporomandibular system including the jaw joints, teeth and muscles. The correct relationship between the upper and the lower jaw is of particular importance in this regard. The jaw joints must be in a nearly ideal, centric position. Misalignment can lead to a “bad bite” and to the pathological alteration of the regulation of the joints and muscles (e.g. TMD). The consequences are usually painful and malregulation has a wide range of symptoms (e.g. jaw clicking, headaches, ringing in the ears, muscle tension in the area of the head, neck and back). Dentists must be sensitised to this context.
Centric condyle positioning for a correct bite
Many experts recommend checking the functionality of the temporomandibular system before commencing any dental therapy – detecting and correcting misalignments early on in order to ensure successful dental treatment. Functional diagnostics is a method for dentists that has been scientifically validated. During a manual-clinical functional analysis, quick findings can be carried out using palpation, followed by a more precise, data-based determination using instrumental functional diagnostics.
Manual-clinical and instrumental functional diagnostics
Determining whether the patient’s condyles are positioned centrically is a challenge for many dentists attempting to detect and diagnose misalignments early on. They are unable to clearly define the position of the mandible and condyles and thus the engnathic bite alignment using manual-clinical analysis, as it does not provide the data that later forms the basis for optimal care by the dentist or dental technician. Data like this can only be collected instrumentally by surveying the patient intraorally (e.g. using the DIR® System). Numerous scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of diagnostics using the DIR® System and therapies that build up upon it in line with the DIR® Concept.
An exclusive service from your dentist!
Using the DIR® System 2, trained and qualified dentists are able to easily determine the physiological positioning of the lower jaw and the jaw joints. Any misalignments he or she determines can then be clearly diagnosed and treated (e.g. using DIR® bite splints). Only then does any further therapy take place. Treatment based on DIR® (Dynamic Intraoral Registration) is an exclusive service performed by your dentist and is invoiced privately.