Bite assessment
We mark the contacts with thin articulating paper, test each cusp for tenderness, check jaw movement and muscle comfort, and take X-rays only if a crack or root problem is suspected.
About this treatmentDental condition · Wimpole Street, Marylebone
My bite feels off: why teeth suddenly meet differently
Teeth are remarkably good at noticing tiny changes in how they touch. A discrepancy of a fraction of a millimetre, far too small to see, is enough to make one tooth hit first, leave the jaw hunting for a comfortable resting place, or set off a dull ache in the muscles by the end of the day. Sometimes the trigger is obvious, such as a filling placed last week; sometimes a tooth has cracked, drifted or worn without you realising. Because the bite involves teeth, muscles and two jaw joints working together, our dentists at Wimpole Street look at the whole system before adjusting anything, and adjustments themselves are conservative and reversible wherever possible.
Recognising it
How it usually feels
One tooth touches before all the others
You may find yourself sliding the jaw to get the back teeth to meet.
Teeth feel “too tall” or do not fit together as they used to
A frequent report in the days after a new filling or crown.
Tenderness in a single tooth when chewing
A tooth carrying more than its share of the load becomes bruised at the root.
Jaw muscles that feel tired, tight or achy
Muscles work harder when they cannot find a stable closing position.
Clicking or a change in how the jaw opens
The joints adapt to a new tooth position and can protest.
Flattened or chipped edges appearing on teeth
A sign the bite has been uneven for some time.
Behind the symptoms
What's going on
- 01
A new filling or crown sitting slightly high
Even with careful checking in the chair, numbness makes it hard to judge a bite precisely. A restoration that stands a whisker proud concentrates force on that one tooth and the whole bite feels wrong until it is trimmed. This is the most common and most easily fixed cause.
- 02
A cracked or bruised tooth
A crack under a cusp, or inflammation around a root after biting something hard, makes a tooth sensitive to pressure. The brain interprets this as the bite being off even though nothing has moved. Bite testing individual cusps helps us find it.
- 03
Gradual tooth drift
Teeth move throughout life, tending to creep forwards and inwards. Losing a tooth accelerates this as neighbours tilt into the space and the opposing tooth drifts down or up. The change is slow, but the day you notice it can feel sudden.
- 04
Grinding, clenching and wear
Nightly grinding flattens cusps and shortens teeth unevenly. As the guiding surfaces change, the jaw closes into a different position and muscles become tender. Grinding also makes existing high spots feel far more noticeable.
- 05
Changes in the jaw joints
Swelling or disc displacement inside the temporomandibular joint can shift the lower jaw a fraction, so the teeth suddenly meet differently on one side. Here the teeth are the messengers rather than the problem.
- 06
Orthodontic relapse
Teeth straightened years ago drift back if retainers are abandoned. The front teeth commonly crowd or flare, altering the way the back teeth come together and how the jaw finds its closing path.
Before your appointment
What you can do today
- Give a new filling or crown a few days: mild awareness often settles, but if a tooth is clearly hitting first, book an adjustment rather than tolerating it.
- Eat softer foods and chew on the more comfortable side until you are seen, avoiding anything that needs tearing or heavy grinding.
- Try to keep the teeth apart at rest, with lips together and tongue relaxed, to reduce clenching during the day.
- A warm compress over tired jaw muscles in the evening can ease the ache.
- Wear any existing night guard or retainer you have, provided it still fits comfortably.
These are holding measures, not a substitute for an examination. Use any pain relief exactly as directed on the pack and check with a pharmacist if you take other medicines.
In the chair
How we treat it at Wimpole Street
Adjusting a high restoration
A recent filling or crown that stands proud is polished down in tiny increments until the teeth meet evenly. This takes minutes and is usually free of charge after our own work.
About this treatmentTreating a cracked tooth
If a crack is the source, the tooth is protected with an onlay or crown so it stops flexing under load and the bruised feeling resolves.
About this treatmentNight guard for grinding
A custom hard-acrylic guard spreads clenching forces evenly, protects worn edges and often relieves muscle ache within a couple of weeks.
About this treatmentOrthodontic correction
Where drift or relapse has changed the bite, clear aligners can re-establish an even contact pattern, followed by retainers to hold it.
About this treatmentFees
Costs to expect
A bite assessment forms part of a standard examination, expected to be £95 at Wimpole Street. Adjusting a restoration we placed ourselves is included in the original fee; smoothing a high spot on older work elsewhere is usually a small charge agreed on the day.
Where treatment is needed, indicative fees are: a night guard from around £395, a crown from £995 per tooth, and clear aligner treatment from £2,950 for a full course. If a cracked tooth is behind the symptoms, any root canal treatment is quoted separately, from £695. You receive all fees in writing before deciding.
Figures are indicative prices for Wimpole Street and are confirmed in a written plan once a dentist has examined you. Fees match our South Kensington and St Paul's clinics.
Don't wait if
When to see a dentist
- The change followed dental treatment and has not settled within a week.
- A single tooth is sharply painful when you bite or when you release the bite.
- Your jaw is locking, catching or has become painful to open wide.
- You have noticed chipping or flattening on the edges of teeth.
- A tooth has become loose or has moved position visibly.
- You wake with headaches or aching jaw muscles most mornings.
FAQ
Common questions
If a tooth is obviously hitting first or is tender to bite on, contact us straight away; there is nothing to gain from waiting. Very mild awareness of a new surface often fades within a few days as the tongue and teeth adapt, so a short trial is reasonable in that case.
When done carefully the amount removed is measured in tenths of a millimetre and stays within the filling material or the enamel surface. We adjust in small steps with repeated checks, so there is no meaningful weakening of the tooth.
Overnight clenching or grinding fatigues the jaw muscles and can slightly inflame the joints or bruise individual teeth. The bite then feels odd for an hour or two before settling. This pattern strongly suggests a night guard would help.
Yes, and it is a distinction we take seriously. If the joint has swollen or the disc has shifted, the jaw closes in a new position and the teeth simply report it. Adjusting healthy teeth in that situation would be a mistake, so we assess the joints and muscles before touching enamel.
It depends on the cause. A high filling will keep bruising the tooth and may lead to a crack. Drift and wear tend to progress slowly. Joint problems often fluctuate. An early assessment lets us tell you which category you fall into and whether watching is a reasonable option.
Marylebone, W1
Wimpole Street opens 1 October 2026
Leave your details and we will be in touch when the Marylebone diary opens. If the problem cannot wait, the same clinicians are already seeing patients in South Kensington and at St Paul's.
Related conditions
Opening 1 October 2026
Wimpole Street is not yet seeing patients. Until then, please book or call our South Kensington clinic on 020 7183 2362 or our St Paul's clinic on 020 7183 3709. Questions about the new clinic: wimpolestreet@md.co.uk.
Until we open
Need an appointment before 1 October 2026?
The same clinical team already works from two other Medical & Dental clinics. Book at either one now and, if you prefer, move your ongoing care to Wimpole Street once the doors open.
South Kensington
- 20 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3DL
- Open seven days a week
- 020 7183 2362
St Paul's, City of London
- 5 Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7AQ
- Open Monday to Friday
- 020 7183 3709
