If you suffer from bruxism, this means you grind and clench your teeth on a regular basis. You need care to address this disorder and protect your smile, and we can help! In today’s blog, your Richfield, MN, dentist talks about treating bruxism to prevent damage to your smile.
The Causes of Chronic Teeth Grinding
What causes chronic teeth grinding to develop in our smiles? In childhood for example, kids may grind their teeth for brief periods, but these tend to pass on their own. With bruxism, you grind and clench your teeth nightly, which leads to major discomfort and the risk of damaged teeth. This could be due to factors like high stress levels, untreated TMJ disorder, or even tooth loss. Malocclusion brought on by uneven teeth could be a factor, as could injury to your jaw or face. Issues with the growth of your jaw or the eruption of your teeth, including the arrival of wisdom teeth in the teens and early adult years, could also be factors. As part of your treatment, we will need to examine your smile to assess the cause and severity of your bruxism.
Bruxism Symptoms
How do you know if you grind your teeth so frequently? You may alert (or annoy) your significant other with a loud sound each night. You could also experience symptoms during your waking hours, such as jaw pain, facial aches, headaches and migraines, and pain in the teeth. If you encounter frequent pain radiating around your teeth, jaw, and head, then please reach out to our team for a diagnosis, so we can find out if you need a custom oral appliance for relief.
Treatment with an Oral Appliance
We can address your teeth grinding with an oral appliance, a device that looks like a mouthguard and is worn while you sleep. The appliance will be custom-fitted for your smile to ensure accuracy and comfort, and this helps shift the jaw to ease pressure on your jaw joints and correct imbalance. This also puts a soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further injury to your teeth. If you have any questions about how our team will take on bruxism and bring relief, or about repairing your damaged teeth with bonding or a custom crown, then reach out to our team today to learn more. You still have time to see us and use your 2025 dental benefits before they expire and the holidays arrive!
Schedule Your Visit for Teeth Grinding Relief
With chronic teeth grinding, you could suffer from damaged teeth without care. To learn more about treating the source of the pain in your smile, call Cedar West Dental in Richfield, MN, today at 612) 861-7188.
