Bruxism refers to chronic teeth grinding, which can damage smiles and cause painful symptoms. But we want to prevent injuries and keep your smile healthy and intact. In today’s blog, Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA, talks about preventing bruxism from damaging your teeth. With the right treatments, such as a custom oral appliance, we can stop discomfort and protect your smile from serious injuries down the road.
Teeth Grinding and Dental Damage
Bruxism damages your teeth by placing enormous pressure on them. When you grind and clench your teeth nightly, this could wear down the teeth so that they appear shorter than usual. At the same time, the pressure could crack or chip them. When bruxism damages teeth, this leaves them vulnerable to tooth decay and infection, so painful symptoms could arise and this could eventually threaten stability. When you have symptoms like toothaches and sensitivity, pain in the face or jaw, headaches or migraines, or a popping sensation in your jaw, let us know. Our team can conduct an examination to see what treatment you need to avoid further damage.
Help with an Oral Appliance
For many, we can offer help with an oral appliance. The device is custom-made for your bite and is designed to look and fit like a mouthguard. The oral appliance will be worn while you sleep, and once in place will help shift the jaw to ease any underlying pressure and strain, so you avoid grinding episodes. If you do grind your teeth, then the soft barrier the oral appliance places between your upper and lower teeth will redistribute the pressure and prevent damage to your teeth.
Repairing Teeth
What about the damage bruxism has already caused your teeth? If you have minor injuries, we could potentially use bonding to lengthen worn-down teeth or address cracks or chips in one visit. If you have more substantial injuries, then again, we can help, this time with crowns to cap the teeth. Our restorations are all custom-made to ensure they look natural and also provide a durable chewing surface, protecting your smile for years to come.
If you have any questions about how bruxism damages teeth or what you can do to stop this and protect your smile, then contact our team today about our custom oral appliance therapy. We want to help return your smile to full function, health, and beauty once again.
Dental Impressions Prevents Teeth Grinding From Damaging Teeth
Our team wants to help prevent injuries by offering a custom oral appliance. A smile that looks good and is free of discomfort is possible, so reach out today to talk about stopping your teeth grinding episodes. To schedule an appointment and stop chronic teeth grinding, then call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
