Treating Teeth Grinding With Occlusal Guards

When you grind or clench your teeth on a regular basis, then this could wear down and damage them. This disorder, known as bruxism, could lead to complications like tooth decay and even dental infection. In today’s blog, your Columbia, TN, dentist talks about stopping bruxism with custom occlusal guards!

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The Causes and Oral Health Risks of Bruxism

Why do we grind our teeth on such a frequent basis? For some, this could be due to high levels of stress in your daily life. For others, issues that upset bite balance could be to blame, such as tooth loss, misalignment, injury to the face or jaw, or even untreated TMJ disorder. You should seek treatment because bruxism could wear down teeth and even crack or chip them. This not only changes the appearance of your smile, but could increase the risk of complications like tooth decay or infection. To protect your smile, you should seek treatment from our team with an occlusal guard!

Warning Signs

You may have a significant other let you know if you grind your teeth at night, but there are also symptoms that occur during waking hours. For example, you could experience soreness in the face or jaw, headaches and migraines, and even aches in the neck and shoulders. Tooth sensitivity when you eat or drink, or a persistent toothache, could also occur. Don’t ignore pain in one or more of your teeth, contact our team for a diagnosis. We will look closely at your smile with digital imaging to identify the tell-tale signs of wear and friction that could indicate bruxism. Our team can also discuss possible solutions.

Occlusal Guards

For some, treatment could involve correcting misalignment with orthodontics, replacing missing teeth with dental prosthetics, or improving bite balance with crowns or bonding. But for many, we offer a comfortable noninvasive solution with an occlusal guard. This is an oral appliance that will look and fit like a mouthguard, and is worn while you rest. Custom-fitted for your smile, this will help shift the jaw to ease underlying stress. The guard also places a barrier between the upper and lower sets of teeth to prevent further damage to your smile. The occlusal guard is easy to clean and maintain, and can travel with you too!

If you have any questions about how we treat bruxism to protect your smile, or about how we can repair damaged teeth, then contact our team today to learn more.

Learn More About Occlusal Guards with Creekside Family Dentistry!

We want to help you avoid the dangers of chronic teeth grinding. Give us a call today at Creekside Family Dentistry in Columbia, TN at (931) 388-3384 to schedule your appointment.