If you grind or clench your teeth on a nightly basis, then you could risk damage to your smile and painful complications. Which is why we want to help you avoid these dangers with a custom oral appliance. In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about treating teeth grinding with an oral appliance.
The Warning Signs of Bruxism
When we grind and clench our teeth on a regular basis, this could place enormous pressure on the teeth, which wear down outer structure and even cracks or chips them. This means you could develop painful tooth sensitivity and toothaches as cavities and infection develop. Your teeth could also appear shorter or more uneven too. You may experience pain in the jaw and face, headaches and migraines, and aches in the neck and shoulders too. Earaches could occur too. Don’t ignore the persistent pain in your smile, and let us know if your significant other talks about your teeth grinding.
Treating Your Teeth Grinding
Our team starts with a diagnosis, in which we take a close look at your smile with advanced imagery, so we can look for signs of wear and friction, and identify the factors behind your bruxism. For some, the causes could include stress, tooth loss, injuries, misalignment, untreated TMJ disorder, or even issues with the growth and development of our jaw and certain oral structures. Understanding the causes means we can choose the best treatment option. For many, this will consist of an oral appliance, one custom-made for your smile. Fitting like a mouthguard and worn as you sleep, the device will shift the smile to prevent grinding or clenching episodes, and provide a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to avoid further damage.
Repairing Your Teeth
Our team will also discuss repairs should your teeth be damaged or worn down. Our team can use dental bonding to repair minor damage with composite resin in a single visit. We also have custom-made crowns for more severe injuries, and will take steps to ensure proper bite balance to avoid further grinding or clenching episodes. If you have any questions about how our team will diagnose and treat your teeth grinding, or if you would like an appointment to use your remaining 2023 dental insurance benefits or health savings funds before they expire, then contact our team today to learn more.
Ready to Treat Your Bruxism?
Our team wants to help you avoid the damage and dangers of untreated bruxism. With a simple but effective oral appliance, we can offer care with precision and convenience. Call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS by calling (913)681-5500 to stop your chronic bruxism. We also serve patients who live in Overland Park, South KC, South OP, Martin City, MO, and all surrounding communities.
