It’s a fact that more and more people grind their teeth these days – it’s an inevitable consequence of our stressful lifestyles and busy routines. If you are one of them and are worried about what can happen to your smile, learn more about this condition and its treatment in our blog below!
Article Summary
- What is bruxism?
- Do I grind my teeth?
- Are worn down teeth a real problem?
- What can dentists do about worn down teeth?
1. What is bruxism?
First, it is vital to understand what bruxism is and what causes this habit (technically defined as a “parafunctional habit”). Bruxism can be defined as a condition in which patients unconsciously grind or clench their teeth, either during daytime or while sleeping. Many factors can trigger this habit, but by far the most common ones are anxiety and stress.
What can we do about this condition at the dental office? Well, it’s important to first be aware that dentists cannot permanently cure it. It’s a consequence of a lifestyle: as much as we want you to be relaxed during your visits, we cannot make you stop grinding or clenching your teeth. However, dentists can treat bruxism’s signs and symptoms and improve the life quality of the person who suffers from it.
2. Do I grind my teeth?
Most people grind or clench their teeth, but not many are aware of it. So, let’s analyse bruxism signs and symptoms. This habit has multiple consequences, and many of them are manifested outside the oral cavity, including headaches, muscle pain and problems in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Most patients who suffer from bruxism relate waking up in the morning with a terrible headache or pain in the jaw area.
Another consequence is what happens to your smile. The most typical sign of bruxism is worn down teeth. When upper teeth grind against lower ones, part of their structure is lost, creating worn down facets that modify the shape of the teeth. These facets are normally spotted by dentists during check-ups and exams, but sometimes, patients can notice them in front teeth when the case is too severe.
3. Are worn down teeth a real problem?
As mentioned before, most patients aren’t even aware that they grind their teeth, so it is clear that facets don’t make a terrible difference in their everyday life. However, teeth have a specific shape for a reason, and if this shape is drastically modified by facets, the normal occlusion (bite) of the patient can be altered, causing long-term problems in the rest of the teeth and the TMJ. We always advise patients with this condition to have their smiles examined to evaluate how severe their tooth wear is.
4. What can dentists do about worn down teeth?
Dentists can easily reconstruct the lost shape with composite resin bonding and even crowns or porcelain veneers. In only a few appointments, your teeth will look just as they used to – or even better. But, it is a fact that if you keep grinding or clenching your teeth, your new restorations will also suffer the consequences of bruxism. The forces you put on teeth when grinding or clenching exceed the resistance of any dental material.
Consciously stopping yourself from clenching can be difficult, which is why it’s crucial to at least take some precautions after the treatment. Your dentist can provide a custom made mouthguard at the end of the treatment that should be worn during the night to protect your brand new smile, or you can opt for muscle relaxant injections into the masseter muscle to weaken the jaws’s ability to clench and grind.
So, can we restore your teeth from damage caused by bruxism? Luckily, in most cases, the answer is still yes. Although ideally patients should seek out their options to reduce clenching or grinding their teeth before getting dental treatment, it is still possible to restore your smile if bruxism is not that severe.
If you suffer from bruxism or simply wake up every morning with staggering pain in the jaw area, schedule a consultation with one of our dentists to see how you can protect your pearly whites!
