Bruxism
Bruxism
Bruxism refers to the jaw’s natural function of chewing and clenching. However, when people experience bruxism in their sleep, it can cause severe damage. Some people even suffer bruxism while taking naps.
Sleep clenching and grinding often affect the front six teeth on both the upper and lower jaws the most. Generally, people who suffer from bruxism grind their teeth laterally, which puts strain on your jaw muscles and joints.
As a result, many people experience headaches, earaches, anxiety and depression. Often, people who suffer from bruxism also suffer severe stress, alcohol abuse or Alzheimer’s disease.
Trained professionals know how to identify bruxism based on tooth wear.
Why Bruxism Requires Treatment
You might think bruxism is a natural reaction of the body and something that doesn’t need treatment. However, untreated bruxism can have severe consequences. Here’s why your dentist will recommend treating bruxism immediately.
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Gum recession leading to tooth loss: Bruxism damages your soft tissue, which can lead to gum recession and even tooth loss. The constant grinding and clenching create deep pockets between your teeth and gums. These pockets invite bacteria growth, which can spread to your jawbone.
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Chewing surface trauma: clenching and grinding your teeth leads to abnormal wear on your chewing surface. These abnormal wear patterns can lead to tooth fractures, requiring additional restorative treatments.
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Arthritis: chronic cases of bruxism can lead to arthritis in your jaw joints. This can cause long-term pain and discomfort.
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Myofascial pain: eventually, your teeth can become shortened and blunt from grinding. This can cause myofascial pain and severe headaches.
How Dentists Treat Bruxism
Dr. Guller will assess your bruxism to create a treatment plan that’s right for you. Each case is unique and requires unique treatment. Treatment options include the following.
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Mouthguard: your dentist might recommend wearing an acrylic mouthguard to bed each night. This protects your teeth and joints from bruxism damage.
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NTI-tss device: this device only covers the front teeth. It prevents you from grinding your molars and limits your ability to clench your jaw muscles.
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Botox®: by injecting the jaw muscles with Botox, you can weaken these muscles, which can reduce grinding. However, the alteration to your muscle strength will not affect normal chewing and speaking.
Additionally, your dentist might recommend improving your stress management and learning some relaxation exercises that prevent bruxism. Once you’re no longer suffering from bruxism, your dentist can fix any damage with dental procedures, including crowns, crown lengthening, gum grafts, etc.
Patients suffering from bruxism while resting should contact our office immediately. The sooner we treat the clenching and grinding, the better we can preserve your jaw’s natural functions and protect your teeth from further harm.
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