If you grind or clench your teeth regularly, then this could mean you have bruxism. To avoid further discomfort or the risk of losing a tooth, then you may need treatment. In today’s blog, your Richfield, MN, dentist will explain how we treat teeth grinding with a comfortable, cozy, and custom-made oral appliance.
The Causes of Persistent Grinding and Clenching
What causes us to grind or clench our teeth as we sleep? Factors include issues that alter the balance of your bite and result from pressure on your jaw joints, such as misalignment, tooth loss, injury, stress, or untreated TMJ disorder. If you don’t have a significant other to let you know that you grind your teeth, you should be aware of the signs that occur during waking hours, such as headaches, migraines, jaw pain, facial aches, disorder in the neck and shoulders, toothaches, and tooth sensitivity. If one or more of these potential symptoms sounds familiar, then please schedule a visit for a consultation and exam!
The Dangers of Bruxism
During your exam, we will use digital technology to take a close look at your smile for signs of wear a friction that could point to bruxism. Without treatment, the presence on your teeth could wear down structure or crack and chip the teeth. The damage then exposes the sensitive inner dentin and sometimes even the inner pulp to bacteria, enabling cavities and infection to develop that threaten the stability of your smile. To avoid painful symptoms or even the loss of a tooth, you need to seek treatment!
Treatment with a Cozy Appliance
The exam enables our team to identify the causes and assess the extent of your bruxism, which means we can choose the most appropriate treatment option. For some, orthodontics could be used to correct bite balance and smile alignment, easing pressure. We could also use custom-made crowns to restore the balance of the smile. However, the most common solution is an oral appliance. Custom-fitted or your smile, the device fits like a mouthguard and is worn as you rest. The appliance then repositions the jaw to ease strain and places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage.
If you have chipped or cracked a tooth, or one is worn down, we could use custom treatments, such as bonding or crowns to repair the teeth and improve overall balance in your smile. If you have any questions, please let us know!
Your Richfield, MN Dentist’s Office Offers Preventive Dentistry
At our Richfield, MN dentist’s office, we want to help you avoid damaged teeth by treating your bruxism. To find out more about our approach to preventive dental care, then please call Cedar West Family Dentistry at (612) 861-7188.
