This patient was unconcerned with subtle changes in her bite until she noticed her smile in a photograph: a front tooth had drifted quite a bit, and her smile was no longer pleasing to her eye. Comparison of photographs over a ten-year period reveal a change not only at the tooth level, but also in the size of her jaw muscles (masseters). She had always been physically fit and trim, and thought that her change in face shape was due to aging.
Bite analysis using the T-scan technology revealed she bit most strongly with her left back molar; in order to clench, the patient squeezed the jaw firmly, and because the right side teeth were not touching before the clench, the muscles on this side got more of a workout. Together we accomplished an occlusal equilibration, utilizing the T-scan technology to help visualize where the tooth reshaping could be performed most conservatively. The result was a balanced bite on both light bite and clench. Already the patient can feel a softer cheek on her right side, and has noticed greater tooth comfort as her teeth bite together.
