Have you ever considered the repercussions of grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw? Not only can this cause restless nights, it can also affect your dental health. Here at Blyton Dental we look after all aspects of dental health and can help with all dental problems you may be having including issues that you don’t even realise exist!
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching are signs of a condition called bruxism and can be caused by tension or anxiety. Most people who grind their teeth and clench their jaw aren't even aware they're doing it, but it may occur while you sleep, concentrate or are feeling stressed. We have seen a lot of patients who are unaware that they are suffering from bruxism but may have noticed changes to their teeth.
Bruxism presents other symptoms including stiffness in the jaw, facial pain, headaches and earache and even pain in your neck and shoulder. If left untreated, you can start to wear down your teeth which can lead to increased sensitivity, tooth loss, broken teeth and fillings. As the height of the lower third of the face gets reduced (due to severe tooth surface loss) it can then negatively impact the Temporomandibular joint. Avoid long term dental health issues and make an appointment with your dentist if:
· your teeth are worn, damaged or sensitive
· your jaw, face or ear is painful
· your partner says you make a grinding sound in your sleep
Blyton Dental offer some treatments to alleviate the symptoms of grinding your teeth and prevent long term dental problems. Using a mouth guard or an occlusal splint can alleviate problems as well as protecting against further damage. In addition to conventional soft and hard splints, we also offer a variety of laboratory-made occlusal splints, including a Sleep Clenching Inhibitor (SCI) appliance. More information about these splints can be found at https://s4sdental.com/occlusal-splints/
For cases in which a lot of wear has already happened, we can restore the lost height of your tooth with minimally invasive composite bonding, often with no injections or drilling. Once the height is restored, these may be converted to crowns for enhanced strength and appearance.
Below are some before treatment and after treatment images to see just how we can restore your smile.
If you suspect that Bruxism may be the cause of your painful symptoms, then contact Blyton Dental today to book a consultation or to find out how we can help you.
- End -