If you wake up with sore or sensitive teeth, it can indicate a problem with nightly jaw grinding or clenching. Someone with bruxism, or an unconscious teeth grinding habit, can experience more than just discomfort at the start of their day. Over time, the persistent friction this problem creates can wear down your enamel and even damage it! The good news is that the right dental services can address bruxism and also restore the quality of your smile. At our Virginia Beach, VA dentist’s office, we can help you move on from teeth grinding troubles. In addition to providing a custom guard to protect your smile, we can review the advantages of different services to restore chipped, cracked, or worn teeth.
How Worried Should You Be About Your Smile?
If you are clenching or grinding your teeth at night, you should be concerned about your appearance as well as your oral health. The friction produced by these actions can wear down your enamel, and even cause teeth to break! The longer you go without addressing bruxism, the more likely you are to experience these troubles. You also have to worry about TMJ disorder, a problem often linked to grinding and clenching.
Addressing Bruxism By Wearing A Protective Guard
While you cannot consciously put a stop to grinding or clenching while you sleep, you can protect your smile with a custom guard that your dentist provides. The guard will keep your upper and lower teeth apart the entire time you are at rest. By doing so, it can prevent issues with friction and even reduce stress on your jaw joints and muscles.
Restoring Teeth That Are Damaged Or Worn
Unfortunately, patients sometimes fail to realize that bruxism is affecting them until they see the impact of wear and tear on their teeth. If you have a smile that look less healthy, uneven, or even damaged, we can help. Depending on the amount of harm already done to your smile, we can recommend restorative dental work or cosmetic treatment. Cosmetic work is the more conservative option available to you. However, when it is needed, we can provide restorative treatments to both improve your appearance and address your oral health concerns.
Talk To Your Virginia Beach, VA Dentist About Your Issues With Bruxism
Without the appropriate intervention, bruxism can lead to potentially serious problems with your smile and oral health. For people in and around Virginia Beach, VA, we can address trouble with your appearance and protect you against further issues with clenching or grinding. Remember that we are also here to help you on an ongoing basis – by scheduling regular checkups, you receive early warnings about problems that may affect your well-being and appearance. To find out more about us, please contact Absolute Dental Care at (757) 428-7440.
