Fortunately for most people have a great deal of tolerance to a bite that is slightly off. But for some people, a bite that just a few microns off can result in problems. They can have sensitive teeth, pain in the TMJ, cervical erosion (abfraction) and premature wear and breaking of teeth or restorations. For years, analyzing the bite has been a challenging and difficult task in dentistry. It is largely a matter of guesswork, using subjective feedback from the patient. Articulation paper, waxes, pressure indicator paste, etc. were all dentists had to assess and balance the occlusal forces. Most of these methods are not sensitive enough to detect simultaneous contact, and none measure both biting time and force. The T-scan III computerized occlusal analysis is the most accurate diagnostic aid currently available to analyze the patient's bite.
Every patient may not require computerized occlusal analysis, but for those who do, it's nice to know that Dr. Brown has this technology available.
