Bruxism

Sometimes people exposed to chronic stress or high-pressure situations can develop a damaging habit known as bruxism: unconsciously biting down with too much force at non-mealtimes. “Bruxers” unconsciously bite down with too much force at non-mealtimes. It can happen at night or during the day, is generally found in about one third of the population.

Since bruxers are often unaware of their habit, we carefully evaluate all our patients for the problem by checking for fractured or chipped teeth, excessively worn or flat teeth, worn enamel, unexplained tooth sensitivity, jaw pain, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, popping and clicking jaws, tense muscles, headaches, and/or tongue indentations.

We can do several things to help break the habit, treat the pain and eliminate further damage to your teeth and oral structures. This may involve fitting you with an orthotic appliance or nightguard to stop the trigger mechanism that initiates the unconscious clenching and grinding. Sometimes wearing the guard will eliminate the problem. If not, we can do further examination to determine the cause, while in the meantime advising continuous wearing of the guard to spare the teeth from further damage.