If you’ve ever been told by your dentist that you should consider getting a T-Scan bite test, you may be wondering what it is and what it can do for you. The T-Scan bite test is a small diagnostic device that fits in the palm of your hand, and when connected to a computer measures the timing and force of dental occlusion. Dental occlusion is where your teeth meet when you bite. Under ideal conditions, your teeth should all meet together at the same time and with equally applied force. However, if your bite is off- even by just a little bit, you can experience a long list of painful side effects. Thankfully, by measuring for dental occlusion, your dentist can determine where your mouth’s “problem areas” lie, and find the best way to fix whatever problems you may be having.
The T-Scan test is an extremely useful tool for patients with problems like TMJ, where the likely culprit to their problem is a misaligned bite. Other problems that may be caused by a bad bite include tooth sensitivity, toothaches, jaw pain, headaches, teeth grinding, receding gums, excessive wear to teeth or fillings, and even neck and back pain.
Your T-Scan test is painless, and it only takes a few seconds to get a reading. To get a T-scan reading, you simply bite down on a thin plastic sensor. The sensor is connected to a computer preloaded with T-Scan analysis software. When you bite the sensor, it measures your bite readings, and displays them on the monitor, allowing you to see your bite on a screen within moments of your test. The T-Scan test doesn’t just read your teeth, it also takes readings on your jaw bones, joints, and muscles, too.
The T-Scan test was designed to be used in lieu of articulating paper, which is not as accurate a measuring system because it often has difficulty showing results if it comes in contact with saliva or zirconia implants. Articulating paper also cannot measure where your teeth meet or determine with what force they are meeting at. Also, because T-Scans are more comfortable than articulating paper, they are better received by both patients who are already in pain and by children.
The T-Scan test can also be used in other applications, such as to measure the alignment of prosthodontics, dental implants, orthodontics, in full mouth reconstruction- to help adjust the bite alignment before it has a chance to become a problem in the first place.
The T-Scan bite test can lead to better results from orthodontic procedures, less breakage of dental implants, crowns, and fillings, less teeth grinding, and relief from the pain associated with TMJ disorders, like neck and back pain, jaw stiffness, joint pain and pain and sensitivity of the teeth. If you think you could benefit from a T-Scan Bite Test please give us a call at 724-934-3422. We’d love to help you!
