How do you keep your smile healthy while you sleep at night? Brushing and flossing removes particles of food that feed bacteria and lead to tooth decay, but what happens when you unconsciously grind and clench your jaw? Years of wear and tear from this behavior can flatten and chip your teeth. You can wear down your enamel and become prone to increased cavity and infection risk. Otherwise known as bruxism, grinding and clenching can contribute to TMJ syndrome, a painful disorder of the temporomandibular joint that can prevent you from properly closing and opening your mouth with full range.
Regularly visiting your Ankeny, IA dentist allows us to spot the signs of bruxism when performing routine cleanings. If detected, we can provide custom treatment to protect your smile from future damage and suggest restorative procedures to repair existing damage from grinding your teeth.
A Practical Appliance To Prevent Grinding
If you wake up each morning with soreness in the muscles of your face or find your teeth are becoming more sensitive, ask your dentist if you exhibit the symptoms of grinding and clenching. We can provide a custom-designed appliance to protect your teeth while you sleep. Wearing a night guard prevents pressure and tension in your muscles to alleviate pain and can gently shift your jaw into proper position if wear and tear has led to dental misalignment. Made from a resilient material, this device also stops chips, breaks, and erosion of the enamel when the teeth come into constant contact. Protection of this kind can help you wake up without your familiar aches and pains!
Treating Existing Dental Damage
While a night guard can help you prevent future wear and tear, we are also happy to provide cosmetic solutions to address the effects of nightly grinding. Tooth bonding can add volume to flattened teeth and restore height without requiring significant alteration to your natural structure. Another solution for enhancing tooth size after wear and tear is placing porcelain veneers. This treatment can restore height, cover unsightly chips and cracks, and even brighten the shade of your smile all at once. This means you can address multiple symptoms of bruxism with a single treatment solution through a few visits to our office.
Call Your Ankeny, IA Dentist to Treat Dental Wear And Tear
Stopping clenching and grinding at night can prevent future damage to your teeth and relieve painful tension in your jaw. We also offer cosmetic treatment to address the wear and tear from bruxism. For more information and to schedule a visit, contact our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office at 515-207-6182. We proudly serve patients from Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and any other surrounding community as well!
