When you grind your teeth on a chronic basis, this is referred to as bruxism. Without treatment, this could eventually damage your teeth and cause uncomfortable symptoms! But we can help with a noninvasive solution. In today’s blog, your Richfield, MN, dentist talks about protecting smiles from bruxism with an oral appliance.
The Causes and Risks of Bruxism
What causes someone to grind their teeth on a nightly basis? Bruxism could be the result of high stress levels in daily life, or even due to factors that upset bite balance, such as misalignment, tooth loss, TMJ diode, or issues with the growth of the jaw and eruption of the teeth. When you begin to grind or clench your teeth regularly, this places serious pressure on the teeth. Over time, they could crack or chip, or even become worn down. This damage then increases the risk of tooth decay and infection, and could later the appearance of your smile. But we can help with an oral appliance!
Recognizing The Symptoms
What symptoms should you be aware of? While for some a significant other could alert them to their teeth grinding, there are symptoms that can occur in the daytime that you can recognize. These symptoms could include headaches, migraines, jaw and facial pain, toothaches and tooth sensitivity, and pain in the neck and shoulders. When you have persistent pain in and around your bite, you should let us know. We will examine your smile with advanced digital imaging, so we can make a diagnosis with precision and accuracy. From there, we can formulate a personalized treatment plan.
Oral Appliance Therapy
For some, we could help by correcting bite balance with placement of a crown or through dental bonding. We could address tooth loss with a prosthetic, such as a dental implant or bridge. If you have poor alignment, we could discuss solutions with orthodontics. But for many, we can provide relief with an oral appliance, a device that looks and fits like a night guard, and that is worn as you rest. Custom-made for your smile, this will fit comfortably and helps shift your jaw to ease the underlying stress and strain. The appliance then places a soft barrier between your lower and upper set of teeth to prevent further damage. The device is easy to clean and use, and it can go on the road with you too.
If you have any questions about how we treat bruxism, or if you have damaged teeth that need repair, then contact our team today to learn more and start your treatment journey!
Schedule Your Bruxism Appointment
We’re ready to offer treatment to protect smiles from bruxism-related injuries. To learn more about our approach to preventive dentistry, call Cedar West Dental in Richfield, MN, today at 612) 861-7188.
