Teeth Grinding Could Damage Your Teeth

When you grind your teeth regularly, this could place enormous pressure on your smile and even damage your teeth! Which is why treatment is crucial if you suffer from bruxism. In today’s blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist will explain how we diagnose and treat an issue like bruxism, protecting your smile.

The Causes of Bruxism

How does one start grinding his or her teeth on a nightly basis? This usually develops due to imbalance in the bite or strain on the jaw joints, which could occur due to missing teeth, misalignment, dental malocclusion, injury to the face or jaw, or untreated TMJ disorder. High levels of stress could be a factor too, and consuming caffeinated products or chewing on hard/chewy foods and snacks could exacerbate symptoms. While in childhood we often grind our teeth for brief periods, with bruxism this happens nightly and could damage your smile!

Signs of Trouble

Symptoms vary, but could include soreness in the jaw, headaches or migraines, toothaches or tooth sensitivity, and a significant other letting you know you grind or clench your teeth. If you experience one more of these common symptoms, then contact our team today to learn more. We would love to bring relief to your smile with treatment. Otherwise, untreated bruxism could crack or chip teeth, or wear down structure to make them appear small and uneven.

Damaged Teeth

Damaged teeth don’t just impact your smile’s esthetics. This could impact the outer enamel and expose sensitive tooth structure to the presence of bacteria, causing tooth decay and dental infection. Your discomfort could worsen, and the risk of tooth loss could increase as well! Don’t worry, along with treating bruxism, we can repair teeth with cosmetic dental bonding or even custom-made dental crowns.

Treatment Option

Treatment options will vary, as some could find relief with orthodontics to correct misalignment, or a prosthetic to address the gaps in your smile. However, we could also offer a solution with an oral appliance. This is a device that fits like a mouthguard, but is custom-fitted for your smile. The device then helps place a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent further damage, while also repositioning the jaw to address the causes of your grinding and clenching. This stops painful symptoms and protects your smile from major complications. If you have any questions, then give us a call!

Ready for a Preventive Visit?

Our team wants to help bring relief for the pain and injury caused by teeth grinding. If you have any questions about treating teeth grinding, or if you would like to schedule a consultation today, please contact Cleveland Family Dentistry in Cleveland, TX, at (281) 592-1234. You can also find our practice at 205 E. Houston St. Cleveland, TX 77327.