Have you ever heard of bruxism? This disorder means that you grind and clench your teeth, almost on a nightly basis! Without treatment, you run the very real risk of damaging your teeth and developing major complications. But we can help! In today’s blog, your Maple Grove, MN, dentist talks about stopping your chronic teeth grinding with a comfortable and effective oral appliance.
The Causes of Teeth Grinding
Why do we grind our teeth on a nightly basis? For some, bruxism could be due to high levels of stress in daily life. Untreated TMJ disorder, which occurs due to imbalance in your bite, could also be a factor. For others, issues like missing teeth, misalignment, and even injury to the teeth or jaw could be factors. Complications with the interior of the teeth or the growth of the jaw could be responsible too. As part of your treatment, we will examine your smile to assess the cause of your chronic teeth grinding.
The Damage Caused by Bruxism
When you grind and clench your teeth on a nightly basis, this pressure could begin to wear down teeth so they appear shorter than normal, changing the appearance of your smile. The outer enamel could become cracked and chipped too. These damages then expose sensitive inner tooth structure to harmful bacteria, which increases the risk of tooth decay and infection, causing further pain and the risk of tooth loss. But we can help stop your grinding episodes and provide protection against further damage with an oral appliance.
Treatment with an Oral Appliance
Our team will take detailed digital images and impressions of your bite, and use them to custom-fit an oral appliance that you wear at night. The device will fit like a mouthguard and helps shift the jaw to ease underlying stress and strain, which can help prevent further grinding and clenching episodes. The same appliance also punts a gentle and soft barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth, which then lowers the risk of further damage. If you have damaged teeth, we could offer help in one visit with dental bonding. We also have custom crowns that can lengthen teeth and provide repair, as well as custom porcelain veneers.
If you have any questions about how we diagnose and treat teeth grinding, or about how we repair the damage caused by bruxism then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you smile with confidence, avoid discomfort, and keep your teeth free of tooth decay and infection.
Elm Creek Dental Offers Bruxism Relief
We’re ready to offer relief from bruxism with comfort and precision with a custom approach. To find out more about preventive dentistry from our team, call Elm Creek Dental in Maple Grove, MN, today at 763-416-0606.