Bruxism, in which we grind and clench our teeth, could leave your smile damaged and vulnerable to tooth decay and infection. Our team wants to help you avoid these injuries, as well as the uncomfortable symptoms associated with the disorder. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentists explain how bruxism could damage your smile.
The Causes and Warning Signs of Bruxism
Why do we grind our teeth on a nightly basis? Bruxism could be due to high levels of stress in your daily life, or possibly due to changes in your bite balance that strain your jaw joints, including tooth loss, untreated TMD, misalignment, malocclusion, injury to the jaw or face, or complications with the growth of the jaw or eruption of the teeth. You may experience tooth sensitivity or toothaches on a regular basis, as well as jaw and facial pain, headaches and migraines, or pain in the neck and shoulders. When you have pain like this, then be sure to let us know right away. With a detailed examination, we will diagnose the presence of bruxism and choose the best course of action.
Treatment with Oral Appliances
Without treatment, this could not only cause discomfort, but could damage your teeth and leave them vulnerable to tooth decay or infection, not to mention the negative changes to your smile’s appearance. But we can offer a treatment option that is noninvasive and comfortable. Our team will take detailed images of your smile with digital technology, and use them to create a 3D impression of your bite. Our team then employs this to design and fabricate a custom oral appliance, one that looks and fits, like a nightguard. The device is worn as you rest, and puts a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to avoid further damage. The same appliance also repositions the jaw to ease pressure and strain on your smile, addressing the underlying cause of your teeth grinding.
Repairing Your Broken Teeth
If grinding and clenching your teeth damages them, we can offer dental bonding to repair teeth in one visit, or possibly the placement of a custom and lifelike crown. Your smile will look good, and you avoid the risk of tooth decay and other serious complications. If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat concerns like bruxism, or if you want to see us for a checkup and cleaning visit, then contact our team today to learn more.
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO, TX, ABOUT TEETH GRINDING
We would like to prevent cracked or chipped teeth from occurring due teeth grinding or clenching. If you’re ready to schedule a visit and avoid damaged teeth, then contact our Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at 915-849-9000.