Many oral concerns are quite noticeable when you experience them, such as cracking a tooth, enduring sensitivity, and fighting off infection. For other concerns such as an aching jaw or noticeable popping, however, the source of the concern as well as how serious it could be is not as readily or easily known. In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS dentist will look at the potential causes of your jaw pain, including chronic teeth-grinding and the negative effects that can occur if you do not seek proper care.
Chronic Teeth Grinding
Bruxism, which is also known as chronic teeth-grinding, can occur from a number of causes, and typically involves an individual biting down with force and moving their lower mandible from side-to-side, unable to control when or how forcefully they bite down. Common problems that arise from this condition include significant wear to the surfaces of your teeth, an aching or sore jaw, a popping or clicking sensation in the jaw, and more. If left untreated, this concern will only continue to worsen with time. What’s more, your oral structures won’t just experience wear, but increased risk of infection as the natural bone becomes weakened. Not only this, but you will need to seek a customized approach in order to best treat the concern. For more information about bruxism, contact our team today.
Joint Dysfunction
One of the major concerns that can arise from chronic grinding include the development of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. This phenomenon occurs when your unconscious bruxism causes misalignment in one or even both temporomandibular joints, causing strain and significant pain to set in. What is occurring is that your bite is attempting to correct itself, and often results in a popping or clicking. If you do not seek assistance, you could be at risk of significant damage to your TMJ’s and your jaw. Just like breaking a bone, your jaw cannot heal properly without a little assistance to ensure an optimal recovery.
Seeking Help
While reaching the point of experiencing a bite dysfunction can be frightening, all hope is not lost. In fact, your dentist can not only help reduce your chronic teeth-grinding, but can even provide specialized treatment to address your TMJ dysfunction as well. Utilizing advanced technology, our team can provide a custom appliance to comfortably and effectively address your needs, whether it be specialized sling therapy to help guide your temporomandibular joints back in place, or simply a uniquely-created mouth guard or other application to prevent damage from occurring to your smile. To learn more about the ways we can help you through ha specialized approach, call our office today.
Learn More Today
Sometimes the biggest threat to your smile is not plaque or oral bacteria, but a bite dysfunction instead. Contact Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS by calling 913-681-5500 to learn how specialized treatment can help you, or schedule your visit today.
