When you’re interested in taking care of the grinding or clenching that is causing you daily discomfort (and that can lead to significant damage when neglected), you want answers and you want them quickly! However, if you find yourself asking friends for their thoughts on bruxism treatment, you may get an earful of mixed information. As a result, we encourage you to set up a time to speak with us about your smile, so we can provide you with the facts. For the moment, let’s explore the essentials involved in saving your smile from future problems.
What’s Going On
You are suffering from bruxism, which requires bruxism treatment if you wish to stop or manage the problem. Those suffering from bruxism are grinding or clenching (or both) their teeth every day or every night, generally without even realizing their mouth is moving. As you may imagine, whether you’re tapping, pressing, or sliding your teeth back and forth, the future holds the potential for serious damage, such as:
- Worn down surfaces of your teeth
- Sensitive teeth
- Fractured teeth
- Broken teeth
- Tooth loss
- Discomfort
Treating The Problem
We always encourage patients to bring up their concerns immediately. If someone has witnessed you grinding or clenching, let us know. Rest assured, we will ask you pointed questions and will thoroughly examine you during each dental checkup, seeking out signs of an underlying issue with bruxism. If it is present, we will offer bruxism treatment in the form of oral appliance therapy, which means you will wear a comfortable nightguard that prevents teeth from touching (and subsequently, from clenching or grinding).
