Preventing Bruxism-Related Dental Damage

When you grind or clench your teeth on a nightly or near-nightly basis, this could damage your smile and cause a host of uncomfortable symptoms. But our team knows how to manage your bruxism to ease discomfort and prevent major complications. In today’s blog, your Maple Grove, MN, dentist talks about how we treat bruxism with an oral appliance!

The Causes and Warning Signs of Bruxism

Bruxism occurs when your bite balance is upset, which can be caused by factors like untreated TMJ disorder, tooth loss, misalignment, and injury to the face or jaw. Complications with the growth of the jaw and oral structures, or issues with the eruption of the teeth could be factors too. Wisdom teeth could be a factor, as could high stress levels. When you grind and clench your teeth, your significant other could alert you. Otherwise, you should be aware of warning signs that occur during waking hours, such as headaches, migraines, jaw pain, earaches, facial discomfort, toothaches, and tooth sensitivity. Don’t ignore these potential warning signs, talk to our team right away.

Oral Appliance Therapy

If we examine your smile and find the signs of wear and friction that could indicate bruxism, then you should undergo treatment. For some, we could use crowns or bonding to repair teeth and improve bite balance. We could offer orthodontics to address misalignment or prosthetics to treat tooth loss. But for most, treatment comes in the form of an oral appliance. The device will look and fit like a mouthguard and is worn as you rest. When in place, this could help reposition the jaw to ease underlying stress and strain. The oral appliance also helps by placing a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth, preventing further damage to your smile.

Repairing Your Tooth

If bruxism has worn down or damaged teeth, we can offer lifelike repair that looks natural and protects the balance and function of your bite. We can offer dental bonding to repair minor damage in one visit with the same composite resin we use to address cavities. Our team could also offer custom crowns for more substantial damages too. For some, improvement is possible in only one visit! If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat teeth grinding, or about how we can repair damaged teeth to improve bite balance and smile beauty, then contact our team today to get started. We want to help you smile with confidence and enjoy a comfortable bite!

Do You Need Teeth Grinding Treatment?

When you need treatment to stop teeth grinding and repair your smile, then call Elm Creek Dental in Maple Grove, MN at (763)416-0606! We want to help our patients enjoy optimal oral health.