The way the teeth fit together when the jaw closes and chews is very important to the long term health of your teeth.
If the teeth do not meet in a proper fashion, they cause obstructions in the normal jaw movement. These obstructing surfaces can either loosen the teeth or may break the tooth enamel. The muscles that move the jaw are very powerful and can do major damage to the teeth when the biting surfaces don't fit together properly.
The problem is compounded if teeth interfere with functional muscle patterns where the jaw muscles will attempt to grind the part of the tooth that interferes while chewing.
This can lead to even more severe wear or it may crack off a cusp or split the tooth. It may also loosen the tooth and cause it to move out of alignment. The deep grooves caused at the gum line are often mistaken for toothbrush abrasion, but scientists have shown us that the grooves are actually the results of bending of the tooth in its socket. These grooves can lead to much sensitivity in those teeth because the opening into the tooth exposes nerves that can be exquisitely sensitive.
Correction of the bite to remove excessive force on the teeth in most instances will either eliminate the sensitivity completely or reduce it to a much more acceptable level.
