What Is Teeth Grinding?
If you often wake up with headaches or a sore jaw, or if your teeth have become worn down over time, then chances are you’ve been grinding your teeth at night in your sleep. Teeth grinding, or bruxism is caused by stress and can lead to more serious dental issues if left untreated by your dentist.
Common Symptoms
During a common, simple, visual dental examination your dentist can see the signs of nightly bruxism. These signs include:
- Worn down, chipped, or flat teeth
- Broken down tooth enamel
- Tooth sensitivity
- Mouth sores
- Headache
- Muscle tension in the neck and jaw
- Face pain
- Ear pain
Treatment Options For Teeth Grinding
Though most people find that engaging in stress-reducing activities such as relaxation techniques and making important lifestyle changes helps to decrease instances of bruxism, others will need to seek extra help from their dentists. Your dentist can help you correct the source of the grinding and repair any existing damage that has been done.
There are 3 main options available for treatment:
1. Night guard (Teeth Grinding Splint)
A night guard is worn mostly at night, is custom made from a durable material and is removable. This device prevents damage to the teeth by absorbing the impact from the grinding motion of the teeth and jaw. Some patients even wear their night guards during the day if they know they will be going through a particularly stressful situation.
2. Orthodontic Treatment
Misalignment of the teeth and jaw can cause bruxism. Orthodontic treatment, or the use of braces or invisible aligners, correct teeth that are out of alignment. Crowns, dental veneers, and dental implants also help to correct bite alignment.
3. Cosmetic Dentistry
After the cause of the bruxism has been identified and corrected, your dentist will need to repair any damage that has been done to your teeth. Cosmetic dentistry such as crowns, veneers, or tooth bonding are simple ways to maintain a natural-looking smile in the wake of any chips, cracks, or breaks that were caused by grinding your teeth.
What Is The Next Step?
Don’t suffer through the headaches and jaw pain associated with teeth grinding. Let the caring and experienced team at Divine Dental Care correct the issue and repair your teeth today.