Bruxism is a disorder in which a person grinds or clenches his or her teeth on a near nightly basis. Without treatment, this constant pressure could cause pain and even damage your smile! In today’s blog, we’re looking at the causes and symptoms of bruxism, and how a custom mouthguard from your Richfield, MN, dentist could bring relief!
The Causes of Bruxism
How do we start grinding our teeth so frequently? The causes could vary, but may include high levels of stress in your day-to-day life, injury to the face or jaw, untreated TMJ disorder, tooth loss, dental misalignment, or bite imbalance. When we examine your smile to see if you need treatment, we will assess the cause and extent of your bruxism, based on the wear and friction on your teeth. We then choose the most appropriate treatment option.
Damage to Your Smile
Over time, the pressure of grinding and clenching could begin to wear down tooth enamel or even crack or chip the tooth. The damaged portions then expose the inner layers of dentin to bacteria, a development that could lead to tooth decay and infection, as well as worsening tooth sensitivity and toothaches. To avoid this damage, you need to see treatment when you experience common symptoms. Along with pain in your teeth, other symptoms could include jaw pain, aches in the neck and shoulders, and persistent headaches and migraines.
Treatment with a Custom Solution
Treatment could include placing a restoration, like a crown, or even using orthodontics to correct dental misalignment. However, in most cases we create an oral appliance. After taking detailed impressions and images of the smile, we craft an oral appliance that looks and fits like a mouthguard. The device will be custom-made to ensure a comfortable fit, and helps reposition the jaw to erase any jaw joint strain that causes the grinding episodes. The appliance also places a beerier between the upper and lower sets of teeth. The barrier helps prevent further damage. If you already have cracked, chipped, or worn-down teeth, we can restore them with dental bonding or a lifelike crown, returning your smile to full function, health, and beauty. If you have any questions about treating bruxism, or about our custom mouthguards or lifelike restorations, then contact our team today.
Your Richfield, MN Dentist’s Office Offers Preventive Dentistry
At our Richfield, MN dentist’s office, we want to treat underlying oral health issues that could cause dental damage and discomfort. Whether we use orthodontics, an oral appliance, or a crown, we can restore health and function to your smile once more. To find out more about our approach to preventive and general dentistry, then please call Cedar West Family Dentistry at (612) 861-7188.
