Bruxism Treatments Options

In the United States alone, there are over 30 million people who need bruxism treatments. Bruxism is the habit of clenching or grinding your teeth, which can lead to some serious damage if you do not get the right kind of treatment. Many people have no idea that they are grinding or clenching their teeth to the point of damaging the enamel. Part of the reason why many people do not realize that they are in need of bruxism treatments is because they have what is known as nocturnal bruxism, or sleep-related bruxism. This type of grinding, which also requires treatments, tends to happen while sleeping, and so the person is not aware of it.

There are many different causes that lead to bruxism. Leading among these are stress and anxiety. While there are those in the medical field who see bruxism as a habit, there are also medical and dental issues that can lead to this condition. Among these include the body’s reaction to the teeth not being properly aligned and therefore not coming together properly when you close your mouth or chew. This condition is one that can easily be treated with bruxism treatments and should be explored thoroughly if you find that you are clenching or grinding your teeth. Additionally, bruxism can be caused by certain neurological diseases that affect the nerves and the muscles of the face. Other known causes of bruxism are side effects related to certain medications like Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil.

In order to know if you need bruxism treatments, you have to first be diagnosed. Some of the symptoms include:

• Dull but persistent morning headaches.
• Tight or painful jaw muscles, which can make it painful to open your mouth very wide.
• Rhythmic contractions of the muscles around the jawbone.
• Damaged teeth or fillings, for which you have no other explanation.
• Swelling on the side of your lower jaw with some pain.
• Pain in your jaw joint.
• Facial pain that lasts for several hours each day.
• Jaw dysfunction, which is also called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)

If you find that you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms and clearly do not have any other explanation, you should schedule an appointment with us to come in for a bruxism examination and diagnosis. In order to determine if you have bruxism and are therefore in need of bruxism treatments, we will examine your jaw, teeth, and jaw joint. There are common bruxism treatments that can help the problem to go away or at least mitigate the damage. These treatments include:

• Mouth Guards: Mouth guards are particularly effective for people who have nocturnal bruxism. These guards, made of rubber or plastic, are specially fit to your mouth and create a barrier between your teeth at night.
• Mouth Splints: A mouth splint, or bite plate, is made from hard plastic and fits precisely over your upper or lower teeth to reduce the symptoms of bruxism.
• Correcting the tooth alignment to relieve the body’s desire to grind your teeth.
• Underlying Behavior Bruxism Treatments: Ultimately, treating bruxism comes down to helping you to relax and relieve the stress causing the bruxism through relaxation techniques and other options that can be discussed at your first visit.

We can help you to find the solution that works best for your health and lifestyle.