The effects of bruxism can be significant for people who regularly grind and clench their jaw while they sleep. Worsening wear and tear on your enamel can cause you to experience problems with teeth that look worn down and misshapen, and can even lead to problems with chips and cracks! At our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office, we can provide protection in the form of a custom oral appliance. Appliance therapy provides you with protection so that your teeth cannot collide and grind during the night. In addition to protecting your smile, this can reduce tension on your jaw and facial muscles, which means you can avoid problems with dental discomfort.
How Can I Tell If Nightly Teeth Grinding Is An Issue?
Because bruxism often causes problems for people at night, while they are resting, they can fail to realize that they struggle with grinding and clenching. However, this does not mean that there are no warning signs for this problem. You can frequently wake up with pain in your face and jaw as a result of this nighttime activity. You can also observe changes in your smile due to the gradual wearing down of your enamel. While you can catch issues with bruxism on your own, you should know that your dentist can also help you recognize that this problem is affecting you, as symptoms can be observed during regular dental exams.
Using A Custom Appliance To Protect Your Smile
With a custom oral appliance in place, your smile can remain safe from harm as you rest during the night. Its presence will keep upper and lower teeth apart so that no grinding or clenching can wear them down. The presence of your guard can also reduce stress on your face and jaw, so you will have less worry over pain and stiffness.
Responding To The Effects Of Bruxism
There are times when patients will start wearing their guard before bruxism can do any noticeable harm to their smile. Unfortunately, there are also times when people will only seek treatment after damage has occurred. In these latter situations, we can offer help in the form of either cosmetic dentistry or restorative dental work. We will plan care around the state of your smile—while cosmetic services produce results with more conservative care, restorative treatments can offer important support so that you will not have to worry about your health or bite function.
Talk To Your Ankeny, IA Dentist About Treatment For Bruxism
When bruxism is not being managed, the effect on a patient’s smile can be significant. However, when the problem is managed, you can avoid difficulties with pain and stiffness as well as problems with dental damage. If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, reach out to Dental Impressions at (515) 965-0230 to schedule a visit.
