Teeth Grinding Treatment
Preventing Headaches
Chronic clenching and grinding (bruxism) of your teeth can cause significant harm to your smile. At Dentist Perth, our Wembley Downs, Sorrento and Doubleview dentists work with you to correct or prevent the habit before more damage can be done.
Side Effects of Bruxism
If you clench and grind your teeth together as a nigh time habit, it can lead to complications such as:
- Headaches
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder
- Fractured, worn enamel
- Broken fillings, crowns or veneers
- Gum recession
You may not realise that there’s a problem until your teeth appear to be flattened or you suffer from chronic headaches. Other symptoms might include clicking of your jaw when you open and close your mouth.
Treatments for Clenching
Many people tend to grind their teeth when they sleep. As a result of this grinding pain and muscle tension can radiate through the joint and muscles into the jaws, face, neck and shoulders. To prevent damage, we often recommend wearing a removable acrylic occlusal splint.
The protective splint is designed to fit firmly over your teeth without moving while you sleep. The protective splint relaxes the facial muscles as it slightly separates the jaws when being worn, preventing the muscles from fully engaging. Wearing it helps to break destructive habits that strain the TMJ and teeth.Your face may feel relaxed in the morning as though it has been massaged.
Screening for Bruxism
Depending on your particular circumstances, the bite splint may need to be worn for only a few months or permanently at night. If you suspect that you may be clenching your teeth subconsciously, contact Dentist Perth to schedule a consultation at one of our three conveniently located practices. Prevent future tooth wear and tear before it starts!
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