When you grind and clench your teeth on a regular basis, this could place enormous pressure on your smile. Without treatment, this could leave you with a higher risk of tooth decay and dental infection. In today’s blog, your Sunny Smiles team talks about how we use oral appliances to treat issues like bruxism.
The Causes of Bruxism
Bruxism refers to chronic teeth grinding, which can eventually wear down enamel or even crack or chip a tooth, leading to an increased risk of tooth decay and infection, and change to your smile’s appearance. Bruxism could be brought on due to high levels of stress in your daily life, untreated TMJ disorder, or issues that upset bite balance, such as tooth loss, misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, or issues with the growth of your jaw or the eruption of your teeth. Without treatment, the stability of your smile is at risk, as is the ability for your significant other to sleep without interruption.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
When should you see us for treatment? If your significant other lets you know about your teeth grinding, please see us right away. If you experience headaches, jaw pain, aches in the neck and shoulders, or toothaches and tooth sensitivity, then again contact us right away for a diagnosis. Our team will take detailed digital images of your smile from multiple angles to assess the severity of your bruxism, and to plan treatment with precision. Often, we can offer relief with a simple oral appliance!
Treatment and Repair
For some, we could correct misalignment with orthodontics, use crowns or bonding to improve bite balance or address missing teeth with a prosthetic, such as a bridge or dental implants. But we can also create an oral appliance, which looks and functions like a mouthguard and is worn as you rest at night. The appliance is easy to use, fits comfortably, and is easy to clean. When in place, this repositions the jaw to ease stress and tension, and also puts a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage. If you have worn down teeth or cracks or chips, we can offer repair with bonding or even custom crowns, so you enjoy a beautiful and healthy smile again. You can also help by cutting back on caffeine, avoiding hard or chewy foods, and using a warming washcloth to ease tension in the side of the face.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like teeth grinding, then contact our team today to learn more.
Do You Have Pain in Your Smile?
Our team wants to help you avoid the dangers of teeth grinding. Call Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, at 915.759. 7000 to schedule an appointment.