Jaw pain and sensitive teeth can have a number of possible causes, including tooth wear, clenching and grinding, changes in the bite, or problems affecting the jaw joints and muscles. Understanding how teeth and the jaw function together can be an important part of assessing these problems.
At Mona Vale Dental, Dr Alistair Graham uses modern technology like MODJAW® 4D jaw-motion tracking alongside a clinical examination to provide additional information about how the jaw moves and functions. helps dentists understand how the jaw and mouth move together. This can be useful when assessing TMJ and jaw joint concerns, bite and occlusion, clenching and grinding, tooth wear and complex restorative problems.
If you’re considering a smile makeover, mending any functionality issues, or a deeper understanding of your dental options, MODJAW® might be the fit for you.
What Causes Jaw Pain and Sensitivity?
Jaw pain and teeth sensitivity can have different causes, and sometimes more than one factor may be involved. These can include:
- Grinding or clenching: It often occurs during sleep without you knowing and can place increased load on the teeth and jaw muscles
- Changes in the bite: Forcing remaining teeth to work harder due to missing teeth or following dental treatment
- Old dental work: Crowns or fillings that don’t fit properly anymore
- Stress: Causes muscle tension that affects jaw position, contributing to pain, tension or difficulty with jaw movement
- Natural tooth wear: Years of chewing gradually change how teeth meet and may contribute to sensitivity and teeth that chip and break easily
When your bite is uneven, some teeth take on more pressure than others. This leads to sensitivity, chips, and discomfort.
What Is MODJAW® in Dentistry?
MODJAW® is a digital 4D jaw-motion tracking system that records how your jaw moves in real time. It helps us see how your teeth come together when you chew, talk, or smile.
MODJAW® can provide information about:
- Real-time jaw movement – how your jaw tracks when you open and close
- Bite pressure patterns – where you’re putting too much force
- Chewing cycle analysis – whether both sides of your jaw work evenly
- Early warning signs – problems we can catch before they cause pain
This gives dentists valuable information about:
- Whether you’re clenching or grinding (even if you don’t realise it)
- Where pressure is building up and causing damage
- Why dental work may not have lasted in the past
During the scan, which takes a few minutes, you’ll wear a small sensor while moving your jaw naturally. MODJAW® captures the dynamic relationship between the teeth and jaw joints. There are no needles or invasive measures, just precise data about your jaw movement and function.
Who Is This For?
A MODJAW® scan may be useful if you have:
- Worn or chipped teeth
- Jaw tension or grinding
- Dental work that keeps breaking or wearing, such as veneers
- Crowns or fillings that haven’t lasted as expected
- Feel your bite is “off”
- Clicking, popping, or pain when you chew
- Plans for major dental work
Why Digital Dentistry Like MODJAW® Matters
Many people might seek support if they have chipped teeth, jaw tightness, or ineffective dental work. Often, the issue is how the teeth and jaw function together. This advanced technology:
- Identifies patterns before any major restorative dentistry and smile rehabilitation
- Makes it easier to fix the underlying cause first than to keep replacing dental work that fails
- Helps catch early signs and prevent bigger issues later
How can MODJAW® help with assessing TMJ problems?
MODJAW® is particularly useful when assessing TMJ and jaw function issues because it shows us exactly how your jaw moves during normal function. This provides additional information that can be considered alongside your symptoms, medical and dental history, and clinical examination.
For some patients, understanding how the jaw moves may help Dr Graham identify functional factors taht are relevant to their symptoms, bite, tooth wear or treatment planning. MODJAW® is not a replacement for clinical examination or diagnosis, but can provide another layer of information where appropriate. This means noticing patterns that might not show up in traditional examinations.
If you’re experiencing jaw clicking, locking, or persistent jaw pain, a comprehensive assessment may help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms and whether MODJAW® or other investigations may be useful. Where appropriate, this information can help guide an individualised approach to TMJ disorder treatment.
MODJAW® and Tooth Wear
Tooth wear can happen for a number of reasons, including clenching and grinding, acid erosion and the way your teeth come together and function. If your teeth are significantly worn, it can be helpful to understand what may be contributing to the problem before deciding how best to restore or protect them.
MODJAW® can provide additional information about how your jaw moves and how your teeth come together. This can help Dr Graham understand your individual bite and jaw function when planning treatment for worn and damaged teeth. For more complex cases this information can be particularly useful when considering restorative treatment or full mouth rehabilitation.
How Can MODJAW® Help With Your Treatment?
- Understand how your jaw moves and your teeth come together
- Identify factors that may be contributing to tooth wear or damage
- Help plan treatment for chipped, worn or damaged teeth
- Consider how new dental work will function with your natural teeth and bite
Everyone’s jaw moves in a slightly different way. The way your jaw moves, how your teeth come together and how your bite functions is unique to you. MODJAW® allows us to record these movements in real time, providing additional information that can help when planning your dental treatment.
By considering both aesthetics and jaw function, Dr Graham can develop a treatment plan that takes into account your individual smile, bite and jaw movement.
Combining MODJAW® and Smile Design
At Mona Vale Dental, we use Digital Smile Design (DSD) to help plan how your new smile will look. Together, MODJAW® and DSD allow our principal dental surgeon, Dr Graham, to plan your treatment from both a functional and aesthetic point of view.
This combination is particularly powerful for complex cases. We can show you how your new smile will look and function before we begin treatment.
How MODJAW® Fits Into Your Care
Living with jaw pain or watching your teeth wear down isn’t something you should accept as normal. Dr Alistair Graham at our practice has helped hundreds of patients solve bite problems.
What makes our approach different:
- We investigate the real cause, not just treat symptoms
- Advanced technology gives us answers instead of guesswork
- Every treatment plan is built around your specific jaw movement
- No rushing; we take time to get it right
Many patients tell us they wish they’d found us sooner. Your jaw works thousands of times every day. Don’t wait until the damage gets worse or the pain becomes unbearable.
Call Mona Vale Dental on 02 9997 1100 or book online to see what we can reveal about your bite.
