Chronic teeth grinding, referred to as bruxism, could lead to damaged teeth and major oral health complications. Which is why when you have pain in the teeth and face, you should see us for an appointment. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA, dentist talks about how we treat bruxism with an oral appliance.
The Causes of Bruxism
What causes a person to grind his or her teeth on a regular basis? Bruxism could be due to high stress levels in your daily life. Other factors could include issues that upset bite balance and strain the jaw, such as untreated TMJ disorder, tooth loss, injury to the face or jaw, misalignment, or even complications with the growth of your jaw or eruption of your teeth. As part of your treatment, we will examine your smile with detailed digital imaging to assess the cause and severity of your bruxism, allowing us to choose the right solution and protect your smile.
Damage to Your Teeth
Teeth grinding places serious pressure on your bite, and can wear down tooth structure or even crack or chip the teeth. They could appear shorter than normal too. The damage then increases the risk of complications like tooth decay and dental infection. When you experience symptoms, such as headaches, migraines, jaw and facial pain, popping or clicking in your jaw, or toothaches and tooth sensitivity, then reach out to our team to discuss possible treatment options. Our team could also employ dental bonding or possibly custom crowns to repair your teeth and protect smiles from further complications.
Treatment with an Oral Appliance
For some, we could offer treatment to correct misalignment, or possibly place a restoration like a crown to improve bite balance. We could even address missing teeth with a custom prosthetic. But for most, we offer a noninvasive and comfortable oral appliance. The device will be custom-fitted for your smile based on detailed digital images and measurements we take. The oral appliance is then worn at night while you sleep. When in place, this helps shift your jaw to ease underlying pressures. The appliance also places a soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage from occurring.
If you have any questions about how our team will diagnose and treat your chronic teeth grinding, or if you have teeth damaged by bruxism, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you feel better about your smile and avoid discomfort.
Dental Impressions Talks About Treating Your Chronic Teeth Grinding
We want to help you enjoy relief from teeth grinding and jaw pain. To schedule your appointment for an oral appliance, then call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
