Written by Dr. Brandon Campbell, Editor Advisor, Apex360 Magazine

As a dentist, you seek cavities, tooth infections, and gum disease. You are taught to listen to a patient’s chief complaint, but when you’re investigating the problem, are you looking in the right place?

Your first thought when you see tooth wear may be to treat with an occlusal guard. Your first thought for sensitivity is receding gums, exposed dentin, or maybe cavities. In these and other examples, your initial reaction may quickly lead you to fix the initial concern, but is this truly best for the patient in the long term? You may be missing the most important aspect of their chief complaint—their bite!

An occlusion problem is a risk factor that causes a great number of underlying issues. I am going to share two clinical cases that prove for these patients (and others like them) that occlusion is everything. (more…)