How Do You Treat Teeth Grinding?

Do you grind your teeth or clench your jaw? If so, then you may have a disorder known as bruxism, one that requires treatment in order to prevent damage to your smile. What can we do to treat bruxism and restore the health and comfort of your smile?

Try Our Quiz on Treating Teeth Grinding

1. True or False: Stress can lead to teeth grinding.
2. True or False: Headaches could be a warning sign.
3. True or False: You can limit your risk by changing your daily habits.
4. True or False: We can treat the issue with a comfortable oral appliance.

Answer Key

1. True. Often, the major cause of teeth grinding is simply high levels of anxiety in your daily life. Other factors can include untreated TMJ disorder, tooth loss, misalignment, issues with your restorations, or injury to your face or jaw. We will need to assess the cause before we recommend the most appropriate treatment option.
2. True. Patients with bruxism often report headaches, jaw pain, neck and shoulder pain, or tooth sensitivity/toothaches that don’t subside after 48 hours. If these potential warning signs seem familiar, then contact our office today to discuss treatment options.
3. True. We suggest avoiding biting down on hard objects, such as pencils or pens. You can also cut back on chewy foods, as the repetitive chewing motion can exacerbate symptoms. You should avoid caffeine and a warm compress can be used to ease pain in your jaw joints.
4. True. We can treat the issue with a restoration or orthodontics, but often the solution requires an oral appliance. Worn at night, the device can reposition the jaw joints and provide a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth, reducing the risk of bruxism episodes ad further damage to the teeth.

DO YOU WANT TO NEED BRUXISM SOLUTIONS?

At Mai Dentistry, we can treat teeth grinding with a minimally invasive and comfortable solution. To learn more about our practice, or to schedule your next appointment, call our Garland, TX office today at (972) 530-0552. For our patients who don’t speak English, our office is fluent in both Spanish and Vietnamese.