Home > Services > TMJ & Occlusion > Occlusal Adjustments
When one tooth takes the first hit every time you close, it absorbs force the rest of your teeth should be sharing. Where we have documented that specific contact, a small adjustment redistributes it. This is not something we do routinely, and it is not reversible.
Occlusal adjustment (equilibration) is a precise procedure that reshapes the biting surfaces of your teeth to achieve a harmonious relationship. By selectively reducing high contact points, we distribute bite forces evenly across your mouth. This helps you by:
Symptom | Why It Happens | How Equilibration Helps |
|---|---|---|
Fractured Fillings | A single tooth hits first, absorbing the full force of your bite | Reduces the high spot so the tooth shares the load evenly |
Chronic Sensitivity | Constant heavy pressure inflames the nerve inside a tooth | Removes excessive pressure, allowing the nerve to calm down |
Muscle Fatigue | Your jaw constantly shifts to avoid an uncomfortable contact point | Creates a smooth bite path so your muscles can finally relax |
You bite down on specialized articulating paper to map exactly where your teeth contact each other.
We analyze the markings to locate the specific premature contacts throwing your bite off balance.
We carefully polish away microscopic amounts of enamel or restorative material on the interfering teeth.
We repeat the mapping process until all your teeth come together simultaneously and evenly.
We do not use occlusal adjustment as a routine treatment for jaw pain or headaches. The evidence does not support it, and it cannot be undone. When Dr. Mohammad Hammoud performs one, his approach is highly conservative. We use detailed bite analysis tools to pinpoint the exact source of interference, and we remove as little enamel as the correction allows, because none of it grows back.
Usually not. We are polishing the outermost layer of enamel, which has no nerve supply of its own, so most people need no anesthesia and feel only vibration. Tell us if a tooth is already sensitive and we will numb it.
It removes a small amount of it permanently, which is why we document the interference first. Done correctly on a tooth that is taking too much force, the trade is worth it, because that tooth was chipping anyway. Done speculatively, it is not.
You might need an adjustment if one specific tooth always hits first, if you frequently break dental crowns, or if you experience unexplained tooth sensitivity without cavities.
No, the procedure permanently removes a microscopic amount of tooth structure. This is why we only recommend it when there is clear clinical evidence it is needed.
If you feel like your teeth are not meeting correctly or you keep breaking dental work, contact our Dearborn team for a thorough bite evaluation.
Reviewed by Dr. Mohammad Hammoud, DMD – 313 Dental, Dearborn, MI
