Teeth grinding, or Bruxism, is an unconscious reaction to stress where a patient unconsciously grinds their teeth. Bruxism is extremely common, affecting 1/3 of the population, but it has serious side effects.
The constant pressure and motion can harm teeth, as well as muscles and tissues in and around the jaw. Common symptoms of bruxism include a sore jaw, headaches, or earaches.
Sleep Bruxism occurs when patients involuntarily clench and grind their teeth during sleep. Those with sleep bruxism don’t consistently grind their teeth throughout the night. Instead, they have episodes of clenching and grinding.
The long term consequences of Sleep Bruxism are the same as daytime Bruxism. However, various types of mouthpieces and night guards are used to reduce damage to the teeth.
Various types of mouthpieces and night guards are used to reduce damage to the teeth and mouth that can occur because of sleep bruxism.
A thorough evaluation will allow us to check your teeth, tissues, and muscles. If we determine that you suffer from bruxism, we’ll create an night guard to help prevent grinding and clenching.
Many types of night guards exist, and we work with each patient individually to decide the best one for their needs.