Let’s begin with a scenario. You wake up in the morning to pain. Maybe it’s every morning, maybe it’s three or four times a week, but it’s consistent. You’re not sure what is causing the pain, but it tends to be a dull, aching pain around your ears or the front of your head. You can take a pain reliever to ease the discomfort, but morning after morning, the pain persists. Does this sound familiar at all? You might have an issue with bruxism. Bruxism is a condition where you grind your teeth, generally while you are sleeping, but not always. This is a major problem for the health of your smile, more on that later. The good news is that we have a simple solution here at our Carrollton dental office!
Patients suffering from a bruxism habit won’t always realize what they are doing because the habit is completely unconscious. Generally, we hear about the issue because they are in pain, or because their sleeping partner can’t stand the sound any longer! Bruxism is usually caused by anxiety, caffeine, frustration, competition, fear or aggression. Because it is unconscious and mostly psychologically driven, it is difficult to treat, which is why our solution is perfect for this serious problem.
How to Solve the Problem
If bruxism is allowed to continue, you could end up with worn down, broken, chipped, cracked, or missing teeth. Finding a solution, however, can be tricky. You can start by practicing relaxation techniques, cutting back on stress or caffeine, and using a warm washcloth on your jaw before bed. If that doesn’t work, you can come into our office for a specially made bite guard! The bite guard is tried in your mouth and fine tuned to be very comfortable. The biting surface is adjusted to have your teeth closing on the bite guard evenly, balancing your bite, which may actually decrease your grinding or bruxing. If any wear is done when the bite guard is in, it will happen to the bite guard, instead of your teeth. You see, many times, if numerous teeth are worn down, we cannot restore the younger height of your teeth on a few teeth, because they would be the only teeth that would hit when you closed. It might require all the teeth in the arch to be restored. Protect your teeth from wearing and avoid this situation.
The simple solution can be the best solution. We have other procedures, depending on your individual situation that can help decrease bruxing, but the important thing is to find something that works to protect your teeth so that you can keep that smile for the rest of your life! We’d love to hear from you soon, so contact us today! Set up your appointment and get started towards a happier, healthier smile!
