Dentistry IS our passion. The pursuit of the highest art form in the evolution of YOUR dentistry is our greatest passion. To achieve that goal, we travel wherever we must to continue our education and maintain our state-of-the-art dental techniques for YOUR continued dental health.
We will educate YOU about the importance of good dental health! We will show you how YOUR dental health affects your entire body. The research is overwhelming that healthy teeth affect many vital systems that control the quality of YOUR life and YOUR total lifespan.
People who retain their natural teeth live an average of five years longer than those who have lost their teeth. We are here to help YOU retain as many of your natural teeth as possible for as long as possible! That is our missionAs you may have noticed, ITS ALL ABOUT YOU!!
Dr. Graham joined our team as our dentist in 2019 after serving as one of our hygienists for seven years. He was personally mentored by Dr. Wallace before receiving his DDS degree from Ohio State University in May of 2019.
Bruxism, also known as tooth grinding, is the condition of forcefully sliding the chewing surfaces of the bottom teeth over the chewing surfaces of the top teeth, generally in a sideways, back-and-forth movement. Bruxism is often accompanied by clenching which is tightly clamping the top and bottom teeth together. People who grind and clench their teeth are referred to as bruxers.
Over time the complications of teeth grinding may cause permanent damage to the teeth and uncomfortable oral and facial pain. During sleep the force of bruxing can be up to six times greater than normal waking biting pressure, approximately 250 pounds of force per square inch, and last for up to 40 minutes per hour of sleep. The complications include:
While approximately equal numbers of men and women brux during sleep, more women clench their teeth during the day. As many as 20% of adults and 18% of children brux while awake and 8% do so while they are asleep.
Pain or discomfort around the ears when yawning or chewing Jaw muscles that are tight or painful, especially in the morning. Dull morning headaches Rhythmic contractions of the jaw muscles. Teeth grinding, which may be loud enough to annoy a sleeping partner.
The first step is to have an examination by your dentist. During this exam, your dentist will check for tenderness in your jaw muscles, as well as for any dental and gum tissue abnormalities and damage caused by bruxism.