Do you spend time addressing daily discomfort, such as headaches, tooth sensitivity, or jaw pain? Has anyone ever asked you to stop making noise with your teeth but you weren’t even aware you were doing anything? If any of this sounds familiar, we invite you to learn more about how bruxism treatment may protect your smile. Fortunately, even if you suffer from bruxism – another term for teeth grinding – this does not mean you need to allow it to escalate. Learn a few more facts and make some connections with the following information and you’ll know just what to do to maintain your healthy smile for years to come:
About Bruxism
Bruxism is a disorder that many people do not even realize they have. What they do realize, however, is the set of symptoms that accompanies bruxism. Wondering what to expect? Well, if you are aware that you grind or clench your teeth, then you are already aware of the problem. However, you may not even realize you do this, which means you will need to ask yourself whether you experience the following: chronic headaches, a sore jaw, sensitive teeth, indentations along your tongue border, or worn tooth surfaces. (Hint: by visiting us, we can quickly diagnose you).
How It Leads to TMJ Disorder
When you grind or clench your teeth, you place a lot of pressure on your jaw joints. This is a much greater amount of pressure than non-sufferers inflict upon their joints on a daily basis through typical chewing. The problem is that your TMJs (temporomandibular joints – or jaw joints) can only take so much stress, like most parts of your body, until they suffer damage or exhaustion (or both). Untreated bruxism, therefore, may cause serious TMJ strain, which will result in TMJ disorder over time.
Bruxism Treatment
Great news! We offer bruxism treatment to protect your teeth and your TMJs. We also offer treatment for TMJ disorder. Both treatments will include the use of an oral appliance, which is a device much like a night guard. The comfortable piece will either prevent grinding and clenching or will gently reset the position of your jaws while you sleep to improve comfort and protect your oral structures.
ABOUT YOUR LIVONIA, MI DENTIST:
James Stewart, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule a consultation, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.