What steps can you take to protect your smile while you are asleep? While a robust oral hygiene routine is key to preventing the ongoing threat of tooth decay, what should you do if you unconsciously grind or clench your jaw at night? This behavior known as bruxism contributes to cavity formation by wearing away at the enamel that protect your teeth from bacterial infection. Grinding and clenching can also lead to TMJ syndrome, a disorder with your temporomandibular joint that causes pain and prevents you from fully closing and opening your mouth. By potentially cracking and chipping your teeth, this habit can also cause frustrating problems with your smile’s appearance.
If you suspect you may be grinding your teeth at night, your Ankeny, IA dentist can inspect your teeth for signs of wear and provide solutions to prevent future damage. Upon consultation, we can also plan procedures to restore your bite and return its healthy look.
Preventing Grinding Of The Teeth While You Sleep
While it can be difficult to be aware of a behavior that occurs when you are unconscious, common signs of bruxism include sore jaw muscles and increased sensitivity of your teeth. If you experience these symptoms or your bite is beginning to wear, consult our office about solutions to prevent ongoing damage. We can provide a custom-designed appliance to separate each row of teeth from grinding against the other. Made from a BPA-free material, an oral night guard also relieves tension in your jaw from constant clenching that contributes to TMJ syndrome. This solution helps protect against tooth decay by stopping the wear of your enamel at night or possible chips and cracks that expose the insides of your teeth.
Repairing Your Teeth After Nightly Grinding
After we successfully halt the ongoing grinding of your teeth, we can plan treatments to address existing damage. We offer both restorative solutions for lost function of your bite as well as cosmetic services to improve your appearance. By covering the front of damaged teeth, the placement of porcelain veneers are a great solution for returning the proper shape of worn down teeth. Made from thin layers of porcelain, these restorations can also brighten your smile if wear to the enamel has caused discoloration. Your dentist will examine the current condition of your smile and determine if this or any other service is appropriate for you!
Talk To Your Ankeny, IA Dentist About Treating The Nightly Grinding of Your Teeth
Taking steps to prevent ongoing damage from bruxism can preserve the health of your teeth while relieving tension in your jaw. Our practice also offers cosmetic and restorative procedures to enhance teeth damaged by nightly grinding. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact your Ankeny, IA dentist’s office at 515-207-6182. We proudly serve patients from Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and any other surrounding community as well!
