Over time, trouble with teeth grinding can take an alarming toll on your smile. Your teeth can gradually begin to look flat, worn down, or become chipped and cracked as they continue to feel the pressure caused by bruxism. How does this kind of damage occur over time? Unfortunately, people who struggle with teeth grinding often grind or clench throughout the night while they sleep. As this happens, pressure wears down their enamel while also causing problems for their jaw joints and muscles. Our Upton, MA dentist’s office is prepared to help patients struggling with this problem. To help you avoid issues with bruxism, we can provide a custom guard that keeps your teeth safely apart while you sleep!
Recognizing Early Signs Of Nightly Teeth Grinding
By paying attention to the early signs of nightly teeth grinding, you can seek treatment and stop the problem from doing further harm. You may notice that you are often waking up with feelings of tenderness or sensitivity in your face and jaw. Sore or sensitive teeth can also affect you. Grinding and clenching issues can also lead to tension in your jaw that affects you throughout the day. Eventually, you can start to experience chronic discomfort in the form of TMJ disorder. When you discuss these before visible wear and tear is an issue, you can prevent dental problems from impacting your smile!
How A Custom Night Guard Protects Your Teeth Against Wear And Tear
The custom guard you receive from your dentist will keep your teeth safe by keeping them apart as you sleep. Wearing it each night will effectively stop further wear and tear so that you do not have to see worsening effects from bruxism over time. Your dentist can bring up treatment during a routine dental exam if you show signs of wear and tear. If you are already growing concerned, you can also reach out as soon as possible to discuss relief.
What If My Teeth Are Already Affected By Bruxism?
If you only seek treatment after your teeth show signs of damage, there are treatment options available to you. If the damage is serious enough to affect your bite, we may need to move forward with restorative dental work. Dental crowns protect teeth from harm and assist you with biting and chewing, but they also offer support for your appearance. If your wear and tear is only superficial, cosmetic dentistry can offer improvements with relatively conservative procedures.
Our Upton, MA Dentist’s Office Is Ready To Help You Deal With Bruxism
Have you started to experience the symptoms of bruxism? If so, talk with Dr. Goguen before the problem worsens and creates more issues for you. To learn more about our services, please contact our Upton, MA dental office at 508-529-4591.