When considering your oral health, you likely prioritize caring for your gums and teeth. While this is helpful, other factors can harm your smile. Issues such as bruxism may occur while you are unaware and can be detrimental to your overall well-being. Your El Paso, TX, dentist can help diagnose your condition and develop an effective treatment plan to relieve your symptoms.
What Is Bruxism?
This disorder causes patients to clench their jaw together or grind their teeth. Usually, this happens when you are unaware of it. In many cases, this may occur when the patient is sleeping. Occasionally grinding your teeth together due to stress or other reasons may not cause serious problems for your oral health. However, if this is done frequently, it can cause your pearly whites to wear down quickly. If this happens in your sleep, you may not be aware that it is happening until you begin to show symptoms. Some signs of this may be frequent headaches, facial pain, sensitive teeth, or feeling fatigued in the morning.
Bruxism can cause problems for your overall well-being. It can disrupt your quality of rest and make you feel tired throughout the day. This may lead to irritability or increased feelings of anxiety. Grinding your teeth together can also cause problems for your smile. Your teeth may be at a higher risk of being damaged or developing cavities as the enamel becomes worn down. This can require the need for several restorations in the future.
How Your Dentist Can Help
At your next checkup, you can mention your symptoms to your dentist. They will use these in combination with signs seen during your examination to help diagnose the issue. To help treat the problem, a custom oral appliance may be created. You will wear this as you sleep at night to protect your teeth from grinding against each other. This can help reduce pain or discomfort in the morning. If your pearly whites have been damaged due to this problem, your dentist may also discuss restoration options with you. Dental crowns may be used to repair broken or worn-down teeth. This allows you to keep your natural teeth intact.
An oral appliance may also be able to help treat other problems, such as snoring or sleep apnea. If you snore loudly and frequently, you can discuss these concerns with our team. They may ask other questions about your symptoms and health history to assess the problem. An oral appliance can help keep your airways open and reduce your snoring.
Schedule An Appointment With Our Team
To get help for bruxism, tmj, or other problems, call Sunny Smiles Family Dentistry in El Paso, TX, today at 915.759.7000.