Teeth Grinding & Clenching

 

Bite guards (also referred to as bite splints or nightguards) are protective devices made to protect your teeth, muscles and temporomandibular joints from the effects of tooth grinding and clenching.  These custom-made appliances work by dispersing forces to avoid damage to the enamel of your teeth.   Please let us know if you think you may be clenching or grinding or have been told by a sleep partner that they hear you grinding in your sleep.  There is a simple solution to protect your mouth, muscles and joints from this often unconscious, but severely destructive habit.

WHY DO I CLENCH?  We aren’t sure why some people do and others don’t.  Most of the research suggests that the repetitive muscle activity is related to stress. 

I DO IT DURING THE DAY?  While there are appliances that can be worn discreetly during the workday, treatment is usually focused on posture awareness, jaw exercises and behavior modification over appliance fabrication.

I ONLY DO IT IN MY SLEEP.  MY SPOUSE EVEN TELLS ME HE HEARS ME?  This is where an appliance is usually recommended as the first line of treatment due to the unconscious nature.  Most patients report a reduction in muscle and joint pain, and a more restful night’s sleep very shortly after wearing a bite guard during their sleep.

IS IT REALLY NECESSARY?  Unlike bone, enamel and dentin (the inner hard structure below the enamel) do not have the ability to reform.  Once the tooth structure is lost, it can only be restored with dental treatment such as crowns or bonding to restore the missing tooth structure.    A bite guard is a non-invasive appliance that can possibly eliminate these procedures before irreversible damage occurs.