Do you grind your teeth? If so, you’re not alone, but you need to undergo treatment to avoid damage to your smile! Our team can diagnose the factors behind your bruxism and offer a comfortable and noninvasive solution. In today’s blog, your Virginia Beach, VA, dentist talks about stopping your chronic teeth grinding.
The Causes of Bruxism
What causes someone to grind their teeth on such a frequent basis? For some, this could be due to high stress levels in daily life, or due to untreated TMJ disorder. Other factors could include issues that upset bite balance, such as tooth loss, misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, or issues with the growth of the jaw or the eruption of the teeth. Wisdom tooth eruption could be a factor too. As part of your treatment, our team will examine your smile to assess the cause and extent of your bruxism so we can choose the best treatment option to bring relief!
The Common Warning Signs of Teeth Grinding
How do you know if you grind your teeth? These episodes happen at night so your significant other may let you know about your teeth grinding. Otherwise, these are symptoms that occur during waking hours that you should be aware of. These could include headaches, migraines, jaw and facial aches, pain in the neck and shoulders, and toothaches or tooth sensitivity. You could experience headaches or notice your teeth appear shorter than usual. The pressure from the grinding and clenching episodes can actually wear down and damage teeth to cause changes to your appearance and lead to a higher risk of cavities and infections too. But we can help with oral appliance therapy!
Oral Appliance Therapy and More
An oral appliance is a device that is custom-fitted for your smile and fits like a mouthguard. When worn at night this essentially repositions your jaw to ease pressure on the joints and improve overall balance. This can help prevent grinding episodes. The device also places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage to the teeth. We could also help with ease strain and correct overall bite balance, prosthetics to replace missing teeth, orthodontics to address misalignment and malocclusion. At home, you can avoid caffeinated products, hard or chewy foods, and use a warm washcloth to ease tension in the face.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat issues like bruxism, then contact our team today to learn more. Don’t live with discomfort and damaged smiles, let us know so we can help and restore your smile to optimal health, function, and beauty again.
Do You Have Questions About Stopping Bruxism?
You can call Absolute Dental Care in Virginia Beach, VA at (757) 428-7440 to schedule an appointment now, so we can help you and your loved ones avoid bruxism-related dental damage.
