Bruxism refers to a chronic case of teeth grinding and clenching, which not only impacts your sleep, but also damages your teeth and leaves your smile vulnerable to serious trouble. To bring relief, we could use a custom-made oral appliance. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentists discuss treating your bruxism.
Bruxism and Damage Smiles
When you grind your teeth at night, this could place serious pressure on the surfaces of your teeth. The structure could wear down, or even crack or chip. Damage to your outer enamel then exposes the inner tissues to harmful bacteria, allowing cavities and even dental infections to develop. You could be more likely to suffer serious discomfort and even risk the stability of your smile. Bruxism could be brought on by changes to your bite balance, such as untreated TMJ disorder, high levels of stress in your daily life, missing teeth, misalignment, and injury to the face or jaw. Complications with the growth of your smile and the eruption of your teeth could be a factor as well.
Warning Signs
Warning signs of bruxism vary, but often include tooth sensitivity, toothaches, jaw and facial pain, and headaches and migraines. Aches in the neck and shoulders are common too. When you experience these common warning signs, or if your significant other lets you know you grind or clench your teeth at night, then see us right away. Our team will thoroughly examine your smile to assess the cause and extent of your bruxism, and to decide the best course of action to stop your chronic grinding and clenching episodes, so you preserve your smile and avoid worsening pain.
Oral Appliance Therapy and More
For some, our team could use orthodontics to correct misalignment and restore bite balance. We could also improve balance with dental bonding and contouring, or the placement of a custom crown. We could also replace missing teeth with custom dental prosthetics to ensure properly balanced bites.
But the most common solution for grinding/clenching is a simple and comfortable oral appliance, one custom-fitted for your smile based on detailed digital images. The appliance will fit like a mouthguard and is worn as you sleep. At night, the device helps reposition the jaw to ease strain and pressure, so you don’t grind your teeth. The appliance also puts a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent further damage to your smile.
If you have any questions, then give us a call today!
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX, ABOUT TREATING TEETH GRINDING
Our team is here to offer a noninvasive treatment for chronic teeth grinding and clenching. If you’re ready to schedule a visit with our team, contact our Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at 915-849-9000.