Do you wake up in the morning with a dull, gnawing headache or pain in your teeth? If you experience this for several days, you may be suffering from bruxism. It refers to an oral parafunctional activity characterized by teeth grinding and clenching of the jaw. This may cause severe jaw pain and teeth problems.
Denver family dentist and the team specialize in the comprehensive diagnosis of teeth-grinding and offer several treatment options to improve your quality of life.
Understanding bruxism
Bruxism is a type of dental problem that is characterized by an abnormal grinding of the teeth and jaw clenching. Occasional teeth grinding may not cause any harm, but when teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis, it can lead to severe teeth damage and painful symptoms.
Bruxism is considered a common sleep problem with a prevalence of 10% among adults and 15% among children.
Symptoms associated with bruxism
Symptoms of bruxism that require treatment include the following:
- Headaches or facial pain, especially in the morning
- Painful or loose teeth
- Receding gums with deep gingival pockets
- Jaw muscle soreness and tenderness
- Wearing of teeth on the occlusal surfaces
- Teeth are more prone to fracture
- TMJ joint inflammation (arthritis) with clicking or popping sound
- Jaw locking
- Disturbed sleep
Treating bruxism
Though there is no single cure for bruxism, various treatments and strategies may help.
Medications
Your dentist may prescribe medications like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to relieve pain and swelling caused by bruxism. Muscle relaxants can also help treat soreness.
Mouth guards
These devices help to distribute the pressure evenly across the jaw and protect teeth from damage during sleep bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep). Mouth guards or splints act as a physical barrier between the teeth. These devices consist of flexible rubber or plastic that are fabricated according to your mouth impressions taken.
NTI-tss device
This special device helps to protect your teeth by limiting the contraction of the temporalis muscle (a muscle of mastication) and prevents the grinding of the rear molars.
Botox
Botox or botulinum toxin is an excellent neuromodulator that is injected to paralyze or relax the muscles responsible for sleep bruxism to reduce teeth grinding.
Biofeedback
This is a special therapy that can help you become aware of involuntary bodily functions and teaches you how to control them.
Bottom line
Bruxism needs to be diagnosed and treated promptly since, without treatment, it can lead to problems affecting your teeth, jaw muscles, and the TMJ. You can greatly improve your quality of sleep and oral health by consulting a skilled dental professional.
