Bruxism, more commonly referred to as Tooth Grinding, doesn’t just occur in kids. It’s an adult problem too and can be stress manifesting while you sleep. While many people with severe tooth grinding issues are prescribed mouth guards to help offset the damage that grinding can do to your tooth enamel or un-wanted tension that it places on your jaw and muscles.
This article is about what happens if you DON’T take action.
In short, you guessed it! Tooth grinding can lead to knocking your teeth out of alignment which in turn can lead to a need for braces. In the reverse, Tooth grinding in and of itself can be a strong indicator that your teeth are in fact out of alignment (known in dentistry as a malocclusion). So tooth grinding is intact the canary in the coal mine and can both be a cause of or indicator of an underlying orthodontic issue. There are of course other reasons why you or some one you know is a grinder! Stress, anxiety, pain caused from ear or headaches can cause people to grind their teeth in their sleep… the list goes on.
Step 1.
Get yourself checked out! A good first step is to see an orthodontist because they will be able to ascertain whether your teeth are out of alignment. If you are due for a check up at your dental office, bring it up then because they too can help in the interim by prescribing a mouth guard for you which won’t correct the problem, but will diminish the potential damage that grinding can cause.
Step 2.
If you teeth are out of alignment a good plan is to get your teeth scanned so that a treatment plan can be discussed. Our 3D scanning technology is a good option to get a clear picture on what is going on in your mouth and jaw. Also, we are able to show you in digital space the ultimate results from a treatment plan. 3D scanning is typically used for invisalign (otherwise referred to as clear braces or invisible braces) but we can also use it to get a virtual view of your mouth to help us devise treatment options other then just invisalign.
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Learn more about 3D Scanning with Itero
Step 3.
Don’t panic. Bruxism is treatable and if caught early we can reverse any damage that has been done. Remember, dental issues often times can lead to more severe issues, not just problems with teeth either. For example, teeth grinding can lead to very poor sleep patterns which in turn affect your overall health. Dealing with it early and definitively is a good plan and is the way to keep you in tip top oral health.
If you think you have a problem with tooth grinding, give us a call or come on by the office to chat about it.
