If you spend your nights grinding and clenching your jaw, the wear and tear on your teeth can become a serious issue. The friction can lead to problems with your enamel that make your smile look less attractive. In time, the pressure can lead to chips and cracks that also create concerns for your oral health. At our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office, we can explore different solutions to the problems that your habit creates for you. Depending on the state of your smile, we can determine if you should move forward with cosmetic or restorative work. To protect you against further harm, we can provide a custom appliance to keep your jaw from grinding while you are resting.
Is Your Nightly Teeth Grinding Habit Hurting Your Smile?
Problems with habitual teeth grinding, also referred to as bruxism, can take a real toll on your appearance as well as your dental health. If you wait too long to address this issue, noticeable damage to your enamel can occur, which can call for treatment, potentially even work with dental crowns. At a routine dental exam, we can look for the early warning signs of this issue. In addition to doing harm to your teeth, this issue can lead to jaw pain and sensitivity. This discomfort, as well as concerns about sore or sensitive teeth upon waking, can alert you to the possible risks you face from bruxism.
Using A Custom Appliance To Address Bruxism
Through treatment for bruxism, we can make sure your smile is protected from any further harm. A custom appliance can be trusted to remain in place and keep your teeth separated throughout the night. Its presence stops you from grinding and clenching, which can lower stress on your jaw and also protect your enamel.
Dealing With Noticeable Dental Wear And Tear
If you already have issues with your appearance or oral health because of bruxism, we can help. If the problem is only superficial, we can cover it through cosmetic dental work. While this is often possible, the amount of harm to your tooth structure can change how we have to tend to your smile. For more serious wear and tear, or for teeth that are chipped or cracked, we may need to place dental crowns.
Talk To Your Ankeny, IA Dentist About Nightly Teeth Grinding
The longer you go without arranging treatment for teeth grinding, the more this issue can impact your quality of life, appearance, and oral health. At our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office, we can provide solutions that protect you against further harm, and we can discuss treatment options that help you address problems that have already occurred. If you would like to know more, please contact Dental Impressions at (515) 965-0230 to schedule a visit.
