Chronic teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, could lead to serious problems for your oral health. Instead of dealing with uncomfortable symptoms and the risk of serious complications, why not call our team for a solution? In today’s blog, your Lake Orion, MI, dentist talks about how we stop teeth grinding with a bruxism appliance.
The Causes of Chronic Teeth Grinding
Why do people with bruxism grind their teeth each night? This could be due to a number of different reasons. For some, a higher than normal stress level during the day could lead to the disorder. For others, untreated TMJ disorder could be the culprit. Issues that upset bite balance could also lead to teeth grinding, such as injury to the jaw or face, missing teeth, malocclusion, or issues with the eruption of the teeth or the growth of the jaw. Our team will assess the cause of the disorder when we examine your smile and plan treatment.
The Damage Bruxism Causes
Over time, grinding and clenching your teeth can wear down structure, so your teeth appear shorter than usual. In addition, the stress could also crack or chop the teeth. The damage not only alters the overall appearance of your smile, but could leave the teeth vulnerable to tooth decay and infection, causing pain and even tooth loss. Which is why we want to offer treatment, so we can keep your smile whole and comfortable, and help you avoid serious complications.
A Special Appliance
You may be surprised to find that treatment involves a comfortable and easy to use oral appliance. The device will look like a mouthguard and fits like one too, being worn as you sleep at night. We custom-fit this device to ensure treatment with precision and comfort. When you wear it, the custom device helps shift your jaw to ease underlying stress and strain. The oral appliance also places a soft protective barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth, which helps prevent further damage to your smile. The device will be easy to use and clean, and of course can travel with you too. Our team can also discuss restorative treatments to take on any damage that has already occurred!
If you have any questions about the process of diagnosing and treating bruxism, or if you experience one or more of these common symptoms we discussed above, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you avoid discomfort and enjoy a full and attractive smile.
Talk to Your Lake Orion, MI Dentist’s Office About Bruxism Appliances
Our team wants to offer a comfortable and effective way to treat teeth grinding. To schedule an appointment to stop these issues and protect your smile, then call Lake Orion Family Dentistry at (248)693-6213!
