When you grind your teeth on a chronic basis, this could mean you have bruxism. This disorder could eventually cause your teeth to appear short and uneven, and could damage them to allow tooth decay to develop. Fortunately, your Allen, TX, dentist can offer treatment to manage your chronic teeth grinding and stop damage from occurring!
The Warning Signs of Bruxism
How do you know if you have this disorder? For many, a significant other lets them know that they grind their teeth at night. Otherwise, there are a number of symptoms you could experience in the daytime. For example, you could experience jaw pain, headaches, migraines, and facial aches. Others will have tooth sensitivity and toothaches. The disorder occurs due to high levels of stress, or issues that upset bite balance like tooth loss, malocclusion, injury to the face or jaw, or misalignment. As part of your treatment process, we will identify the cause in order to recommend the most effective solution.
The Danger of Damage
The constant pressure on your teeth from regular grinding and clenching will compromise your outer enamel. The enamel is what protects teeth from the onset of cavities and infection. Grinding and clenching your teeth will crack and chip them, and wear down the outer structure. Your teeth could look small and short, and could be vulnerable to serious tooth decay and infection, causing discomfort and for some, the risk of tooth loss. Which is why we want to offer relief for people suffering from bruxism!
Treatment with Oral Appliances
To begin, we will carefully examine your smile and gather digital images of your teeth from multiple angles. We combine these to craft a 3D computer impression, one far more accurate than physical impressions. This will allow us to design and craft an oral appliance in a lab setting. When worn, the device will help reposition the jaw to ease tension and pressure, addressing related complications like TMJ disorder and limiting future grinding episodes. The device also prevents further damage to your smile by putting a barrier between your upper and lower sets of teeth. If you have worn down or damaged teeth, we could rebuild them with dental bonding or the placement of a custom and lifelike crown, so you can smile with confidence.
If you have any questions about how we treat jaw joint disorders and design appliances, or about repairing teeth in a title as one visit, then contact our team today.
Talk To Your Allen, TX Dentist About Teeth Grinding
We want to help prevent damaged teeth and painful complications. If you want to know more about treating bruxism, or if you are ready to book an appointment, contact your Allen, TX, dentist, Dr. Torrens-Parker, by calling 469-342-6644.
