Teeth Grinding: Symptoms & Solutions
Do you suffer from aching teeth and jaws in the morning? This could be due to unconscious teeth grinding during your sleep.
You might need an occlusal splint for relief. Read on to find out more and contact our practice if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed below.
At Superior Smiles we take a holistic approach to dentistry. That means we look at how your oral health affects your wellbeing as a whole and aim to provide treatments that prevent any issues from occurring.
If you grind or clench your teeth at night or suffer from sleep apnoea, we’ll recommend treatment to assist you in achieving a better night’s rest and protecting your oral health.
Unconscious teeth grinding is very often caused by stress, however there are other causes. Teeth grinding can lead to serious problems with your teeth and jaw.
These clenching or grinding habits are called Bruxism. Bruxism is an excessive clenching or grinding of the teeth that isn’t part of normal chewing movements. It can wear teeth down and cause permanent damage to the teeth and jaw joints.
Symptoms of teeth clenching, and grinding can include:
- Aching jaws and teeth during waking hours
- Trouble chewing on food
- Tension headaches and stress in the temple region
- Jaw joint pain (temporomandibular joint)
- Severely worn teeth
- Broken or chipped teeth.
An occlusal splint (you might have heard them called night guards before) can be an excellent solution to the problems teeth clenching and grinding causes. Treatment may involve wearing an occlusal splint overnight to prevent the teeth in the upper and lower arches from making contact.
An occlusal splint is custom-made to fit the specific contours of your mouth so that it is as comfortable as possible to wear, similarly to mouthguards.
Splints are designed to protect your natural teeth, but also any crowns and implants, from wear, damage, and cracking caused by clenching or grinding habits. Splints also relieve muscle tension and symptoms of joint damage (causing TMJ dysfunction).
Occlusal splints may take a little getting used to, but most people find it only takes a night or two before they’re completely comfortable wearing their splint.
Teeth grinding is a common condition that affects both adults and children. In many cases, the person does not even know that they are doing it until their parent or partner mentions it.
If you think or know that you are grinding your teeth, your first step should be to see a dentist. Our experienced dentists will evaluate your teeth, looking for wear and tear that is often caused by bruxism, and advise you about how best to proceed.
Call us at Superior Smiles to book an appointment with our experienced dentists or book an appointment online now.
