Most people will suffer from teeth grinding or teeth clenching at some point in their lives, resulting in jaw pain and other problems.The medical term for this is called Bruxism. This can be a serious issue as the pain can radiate out into other parts of the head, neck, and even shoulders. Whats more, Bruxism is often caused by stress and is associated with your emotional and mental wellbeing in addition to physical issues like an uneven bite (malocclusion).
Although it can occur during the day, Bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders and causes most of its damage during sleeping hours. The clenching and teeth grinding which accompanies bruxism is symptomatic of a malfunctioning chewing reflex, which is turned off in non-sufferers when sleeping. For sufferers, deep sleep or even naps cause the reflex nerve control center in the brain to turn off, and the reflex pathways to become active.
Typically, the incisors and canines (front 6 upper and lower teeth) of opposing arches grind against each other side to side. This puts undue strain on the medial pterygoid muscles and the temporomandibular joints, and can cause damage to all your teeth, including your molars.Jaw pain, earache, depression, headaches, chronic stress and anxiety are often associated with bruxism.
Bruxism is frequently misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, because it is only one of several potential causes of tooth wear. Headaches arising from bruxism are also often misdiagnosed as migraines.Only a trained professional can tell the difference between bruxing wear and wear caused by overly aggressive brushing, acidic soft drinks and abrasive foods.Its therefore important to get properly examined.
There is no single cure for bruxism, though a variety of helpful devices and tools are available. The gold standard in treatment is an acrylic mouth guard that is customized to the patient based on tooth impressions. It minimizes the abrasive action of tooth surfaces during sleep.Mouth guards should be worn on a long-term basis to help prevent tooth damage, damage to the temporomandibular joint, and help to stabilize the occlusion.
Other methods of treatment options can work with the mouth guard to provide further support. These include relaxation exercises, stress management education and biofeedback mechanisms. When the bruxing is under control, there are a variety of dental procedures such as crowns, gum grafts and crown lengthening that can restore a pleasant aesthetic appearance to the smile.