HomeAnswersOrthodontistorthodontic treatmentOn chewing, my upper and lower teeth touches only on my left side. What is the cause?

Why do my upper and lower teeth come in contact only on the left side while chewing?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. K. Shobana

Published At July 28, 2021
Reviewed AtDecember 4, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I have some problems with my jaw muscles due to clenching or grinding at night. It causes a variety of symptoms such as headaches. When I chew, I feel like my upper and lower teeth touch only in my left side and I seem to have overdevelopment of masseter muscle on the same side. I have clicking on my right side TMJ. Can this problem be fixed by consulting an orthodontist?

Answered by Dr. Ummah Mohammad

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern and I will try my best to provide you a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. There are several reasons for your problem and there are several types of treatment depending upon your cause. If it occurs due to malocclusion or misaligned teeth, then you can consult an orthodontist to correct it. In some cases, it can also occur due to differences in the height of your teeth. In this case, you can consult an endodontist and the length of your teeth will be trimmed if there is a need. If it occurs due to stress, you need to rule out the cause and avoid having it. Your dentist can suggest you to do some jaw exercise. I suggest you open your mouth wide with your tongue touching your front teeth. It helps in relaxing your jaws or you can say the letter "N" aloud. This helps to lessen the touching time of your upper and lower jaw and so it reduces clenching. Meanwhile, you can use a nightguard or teeth guard regularly. Change it if you have overused it. Sometimes oversized and undersized appliances can cause problems.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Ummah Mohammad
Dr. Ummah Mohammad

Dentistry

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