Most people grind their teeth from time to time, like watching a nail biting football game or during heavy exercise etc. Occasional teeth grinding is not harmful, but when it become a chronic habit, it can wreck havoc on your teeth.
Teeth grinding (Bruxism) can occur due to a variety of reasons. Some of them are stress, improper bite, missing teeth, TMJ disease etc.
Most of the people grind their teeth during sleep and are unaware of it. Their sleep partner usually tells them about the sound from their grinding. A dull headache, pain in the jaw muscles and joints, worn out and chipped teeth, loose teeth can all be symptoms of teeth grinding. If this goes untreated, bruxism can cause severe teeth wear which will require crowns, bridges, implants and partials to restore and replace them. In severe cases complete tooth loss can result and extraction and full dentures may be needed.
How to spot teeth grinding?
There are some symptoms, which can indicate Bruxism.
Some people also grind their teeth while they are awake. It is common in people who work at computer for long period of time or if their job involve heavy physical work.
Treatment for teeth grinding?
The treatment depends on the extent of wear and the time of diagnosis. If diagnosed early, your dentist will prescribe you a dental guard, which is designed to protect your teeth, support your joints and relax the jaw muscles. They can work wonderfully well to slow down or stop the wear and relieve the related symptoms. A store brand dental guard can also work to stop tooth wear, but their fit is usually poor and they do not relax muscles or support the joints. In some cases they can worsen the condition.
If the wear is severe, reconstructive dentistry utilizing crowns, bridges, implant and dentures might be needed. It usually involves treatment of many teeth and can get quite expensive. In more advanced cases where the jaw joints have been damaged, joint reconstruction, corticosteroid injections and other treatment might be needed.
Here at Grafton Dental Care, we offer customized digital night guards to protect your teeth from teeth grinding. Early prevention is the best defense for your teeth and jaw. It keeps you as healthy as possible and minimize your future dental expenses. Our fully digital process takes 3 dimensional scans of you teeth and bite and makes precisely fitting and comfortable night guards. They last for a long period and can be quickly remade with your digital files in case of damage or loss.
It is very important to have your dentist check to see if you grind your teeth. If you are diagnosed with bruxism, you should take steps to prevent damage to your teeth.
Give us a call today to schedule your custom fitting night guard.
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