Bruxism is the term given to the habit of tooth clenching or grinding. Most bruxists indulge in the habit during sleep, and may not be aware of the problem. Others are very much aware!
The signs and symptoms of bruxism are dependent on the intensity and duration of the grinding. This can range from mild tooth wear to tooth fracture; to headaches and jaw dislocation.
Signs and symptoms:
- Toothwear
- Headaches
- Gum recession
- Tooth sensitivity
- Pain on chewing
- Tooth mobility
- Tooth fracture
- Tooth migration/movement
- Jaw joint pain
- Jaw joint clicks
- Jaw joint dislocation
Patients eliciting a number of these symptoms are said to suffer with TMJPDS (temporomandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome) or TMD
(temporomandibular dysfunction).
Bruxism is prevalent and most of us present some degree of resulting tooth wear. Research into the causes of bruxism tells us that the problem is complex and still not fully understood. Individuals grind their teeth for very different reasons. The dentists at Pure Smiles take a special interest in identifying and isolating the individual causes to enable us to provide the appropriate level of care.
Treatments
Most cases are mild and your dentist will suggest no specific treatment apart from reviewing and monitoring the wear of your teeth.
Occasionally your dentist may suggest reshaping some of your back teeth, allowing for a more favorable distribution of the load when you grind. This is called an occlusal adjustment.
If your tooth surface loss is of concern, we may recommend the use of a night time device.
Other cases are treated using a splint (night-guard). A splint is a protective cover worn over the teeth during sleep. Many patients with undiagnosed tension headaches have been successfully treated at the practice with splint therapy. There are...[Read More...]
Our team at Pure Smiles provides splint therapy, jaw joint therapy and night time grinding splints for bruxism to patients in Fulham, Chelsea, Putney, Kensington and surrounding areas in Central London and West London. For help with these problems please call us to arrange a consultation.