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What If I Am Grinding My Teeth? Ask Dr Dean

Mar 31, 2018

What If I Am Grinding My Teeth? Ask Dr Dean.  Bruxism is a condition in which you clench or grind teeth. Millions of people are affected by bruxism, or teeth grinding, which mostly happens while they sleep. While occasional teeth grinding may not require treatment, chronic teeth grinding can lead to serious jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and other problems.  Sadly most times people don’t realize they are clinching or grinding their teeth until it’s too late and the damage is done!

Signs And Symptoms Of Teeth Grinding:

Most people are grinding teeth in sleep – sometimes without even realizing it. Routine visits to the dentist are important to screen for signs of teeth grinding and damaged teeth. Many patients affected by bruxism experience:

  • Worn, flattened, fractured or chipped teeth
  • Worn tooth enamel
  • Tooth sensitivity
  • Jaw pain or tightness in the jaw muscles
  • Earache
  • Headache
  • Facial pain
  • Damaged tissue on the inside of your cheek

Teeth Grinding Causes

Stress is the most common cause for grinding teeth. Patients who have stress induced teeth grinding may benefit from biofeedback, yoga, anxiety medication, or other methods of stress relief. Other teeth grinding causes may include:

  • Malocclusion (improper alignment of teeth)
  • Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Huntington’s Disease
  • Anxiety, Stress or Tension

Treatment For Teeth Grinding

There are a number of treatment options for people affected by bruxism. The most important step in treatment is to stop teeth grinding. This is usually accomplished with a night guard or mouth guard for grinding teeth. The dentist will also recommend treatment to correct the source of the problem, be it malocclusion, environmental factors, or TMJ disorder. Finally, the dentist will repair any teeth that have been damaged by teeth grinding.  Many of our patients with custom made night guards won’t ever consider traveling without it!

Teeth Grinding Mouth Guard

A mouth guard for teeth grinding is one of the most common treatments for bruxism. These are removable appliances that are custom made to fit over your teeth and prevent teeth grinding. Teeth grinding mouth guards are typically worn at night, though some patients do benefit from wearing mouth guards during the day particularly in high stress situations such as while driving.

Schedule A Consultation

If you trying to find a dentist in Knoxville, TN to treat teeth grinding, contact Dr. Donnie Dean  www.deancosmeticdentistry.com 865-539-1119
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